EVENTS
May Day: Osun workers voice demands
As workers in Osun State join their counterparts nationwide to commemorate this year’s International Workers’ Day, they have highlighted key demands and expressed concerns over current government policies.
Calling on both the federal and state governments to prioritise workers’ welfare, they insisted that their plight could no longer be ignored as they are the engine room of national development.
Several workers interviewed said they are yet to feel the impact of the federal government reforms.
Onigbinde Isaac, an Osogbo-based teacher noted that many of them were struggling to cope with the rising cost of living, worsened by the removal of fuel subsidies and the floating of the naira.
He also called for immediate economic interventions to mitigate the effects.
“We demand a realistic minimum wage that reflects today’s economic realities. What workers earn now can no longer sustain them and their families,” he said.
Speaking to Ekwutosblog, Foluke Adebayo, a primary school teacher, lamented the persistent delay in salary payments.
“Sometimes we are paid late, and even when we get it, the value has dropped due to inflation,” he said.
Tunde Salami, a welder also decried the poor electricity supply in some parts the state, which they say has crippled businesses and affected productivity.
He also criticised the ongoing electricity sector privatisation, describing it as ineffective.
According to him, “Without power, artisans and small businesses cannot survive. Despite privatisation, we are still battling blackouts daily.”