Organised Labour in Ogun State has firmly rejected Governor Dapo Abiodun’s proposed resolution to end the ongoing indefinite strike. The industrial action was triggered by multiple grievances, including the non-remittance of N82 billion in contributory pension deductions. After a seven-hour emergency meeting in Abeokuta, 25 affiliate unions signed a communique expressing dissatisfaction with the state government’s offers, stating that the original demands of the unions remain and the declared trade dispute still stands.
The union particularly condemned the government’s stance on the Contributory Pension Scheme, as well as unresolved issues surrounding the new minimum wage, eight years of unpaid leave allowances, unadjusted pensions, and unimplemented promotions for 2023 and 2024. The communique emphasized that the government’s response failed to address the workers’ core concerns and displayed a lack of seriousness about resolving the crisis.
Governor Abiodun, in a prior statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, offered a phased solution involving a 10-year payment plan for pension contributions. This plan is to be implemented in two phases: from 2025 to 2030, and from 2030 to 2035. It is meant to cover the pensions of workers retiring from July 2, 2025, onward. The governor assured that the initial batch of payments would commence in 2026 and promised to settle contributions due during his tenure as well as those of his successor’s future administration.
However, the labour union rejected the proposal, particularly disapproving the elimination of the gratuity scheme starting July 2025 and the full reversion to the Contributory Pension Scheme. The union’s position underscores a widening trust gap between the government and the workforce, fueling the continuity of the strike and deepening the tension in the state’s industrial relations landscape.
