All Progressives Congress (APC), Oyo State chapter has reacted to the protest by workers of the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS), describing the development as a disturbing indication of what it called the poor treatment of workers under the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde.
Oyo APC’s reaction followed a protest by BCOS staff in Ibadan over alleged delays in the payment of salaries, unexplained deductions, non-remittance of statutory deductions and what workers described as deteriorating welfare conditions.
In a statement issued by Elder David Oluokun, Coordinator, BSA Voice of Reason, the party said the situation was particularly troubling because BCOS remains one of the state’s major communication platforms and has a responsibility to project government policies and programmes to the public.
Oluokun argued that workers who are expected to communicate the achievements of government should not themselves be struggling with unresolved salary and welfare concerns.
The protesters reportedly gathered at the BCOS premises in Ibadan carrying placards with messages including “Pay Our Salaries,” “Stop Illegal Deductions” and “Welfare Matters.”
According to the workers, salaries have allegedly been delayed, while deductions made from their earnings were not promptly remitted to the appropriate unions, cooperatives and other bodies.
One of the workers reportedly expressed frustration over the situation, saying staff members were expected to remain committed to their duties despite what they described as inadequate attention to their welfare.
Another worker questioned how employees could effectively promote government policies when their own welfare was allegedly being neglected.
Reacting to the development, the Oyo APC said the protest should serve as a wake-up call to the Makinde administration, insisting that workers in state-owned institutions deserve to be treated with dignity.
“BCOS is supposed to be the mouthpiece of government. If the staff are protesting, it means there is a failure of governance,” an APC chieftain said.
The opposition party also questioned the priorities of the state government, arguing that the welfare of workers should remain a major responsibility of any administration.
Oluokun maintained that government cannot expect productivity from employees who are constantly worried about unpaid salaries, unremitted deductions and inadequate working conditions.
The APC further called for immediate attention to the demands raised by the workers, particularly the payment of outstanding salaries, proper remittance of deductions and improvement in staff welfare.
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The workers are demanding the immediate settlement of outstanding salary issues, the remittance of deductions to the appropriate bodies, improved welfare packages and the provision of adequate working tools.
The unions at BCOS reportedly said they had previously engaged management and relevant government representatives over the concerns but had yet to see what they considered satisfactory solutions, leading to the latest protest.
As of press time, neither the BCOS management nor the Oyo State Government had issued an official response to the allegations contained in the workers’ protest.
The APC said the development should not be dismissed as an isolated labour dispute, stressing that the condition of workers in government-owned institutions could affect morale, productivity and the credibility of the administration.
BCOS is one of the longstanding broadcast institutions in the Southwest and has historically played an important role in government communication and public information in Oyo State.
The opposition party therefore urged the government to engage the workers and their unions and resolve the issues before the situation escalates into prolonged industrial unrest.
