Federal Ministry of Agric workers protest in Ondo

Yinka Oladoyinbo, Akure - 28.01.2008

WORKERS of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources in Ondo State on Friday embarked on a peaceful demonstration to press home their demands for the payment of their salaries and allowances.

The people also called on the Senate and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to look into the account of the ministry.

The workers, during the protest held at the premises of the Federal Secretariat, Akure, were armed with placards with different inscriptions written on them.

According to a letter signed by the State Secretary of the Nigeria Civil Service Union Federal Branch, Mr. Odion Edegar, and addressed to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, the workers alleged that some highly placed officials of the ministry in Abuja had been shortchanging field workers of the ministry who were working outside the Federal Capital.

The letter read in part, “ The field workers have always been at the mercies of the staff at the headquarters of the ministry. In view of the above, we appeal to you to save us from economic woes visited on us by the authority of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources”.

They claimed that the Federal Government had released the fund to the ministry, alleging that some top officials of the ministry misappropriated the fund.

The workers complained that the authority of the ministry had refused to pay increment in salaries of field workers since 2005, while they were still being owed medical allowances for the months of May and June 2004.