Workers of the Ondo State Internal Revenue Service (ODIRS) staged a protest on Thursday, shutting down offices to demand the implementation of the new minimum wage. The state government, however, described the protest as a minor issue, pledging to address the workers’ grievances promptly.
The protest, led primarily by junior staff, highlighted the disparity between their modest wages and the lavish compensation received by senior executives. The workers, who arrived at their offices as early as 8 a.m., blocked major roads leading to the ODIRS premises, displaying placards with various messages and vowing not to return to work until their demands were met.
According to the protesting employees, they had previously raised their concerns with management regarding the non-implementation of the new minimum wage but decided to protest after receiving no positive response. They accused the ODIRS management of being insensitive to their plight and alleged embezzlement of funds meant for workers’ welfare.
The workers called on the state government to urgently address their demands, insisting they deserved fair compensation and warning of a potential indefinite strike if their issues were not resolved.
In response, Comrade Bola Taiwo, Special Adviser to the Governor on Union Matters, assured the workers that their concerns would be addressed promptly. He described the protest as a minor issue, emphasizing that all core civil servants, including local government and parliamentary staff, had already received their salaries.
Taiwo clarified that the affected ODIRS workers are considered part of the private sector, not public servants. He disclosed that Governor Akeredolu, who was in Abuja at the time, had ordered that the workers be paid the new minimum wage.
“The governor directed that they should not be paid the old salary but the new minimum wage,” Taiwo said. “We asked for their demands, but they provided none. Normally, a formal letter of demand should be submitted to the government. Despite this, the governor instructed us not to force them out but to allow the protest to proceed.”
He added that the governor signed the minimum wage approval promptly and sent representatives to engage with the protesters. Taiwo expressed disappointment over the lack of prior notice for the protest, noting that the state government was prepared to address any management-related issues in good faith.
“This is the first time such a protest has occurred, and we are committed to resolving their concerns,” Taiwo concluded.
