Following payment of their December salaries on Christmas Eve, public servants in Ekiti State yesterday besieged ATM points to make withdrawals.
The workers, including teachers, who got their pay alerts on Wednesday afternoon, resorted to the use of ATMs as banks in the state capital closed shop for Christmas as early as 12 noon and 2pm that day.
Those who got alerts late waited till yesterday for withdrawals to continue with their Christmas shopping.
However, the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state accused Governor Ayodele Fayose of deliberate insensitivity to the plight of workers.
A statement by APC state Publicity Secretary, Hon Taiwo Olatubosun, said “it is ungodly for a leader to enjoy all the bliss that goes with Christmas while denying the people he leads their entitlements at the time members of their families look up to them for the yearly pleasure of Christmas.”
Olatunbosun said: “On Christmas Eve when our people were supposed to be in celebration mood, Ekiti’s frustrated workers were on queues at ATM points awaiting salary alerts.”
The APC spokesperson said by December 18 last year all workers had received their salaries and Christmas bonus in addition to their leave bonus, while pensioners were also paid, noting that the governor grudgingly asked the banks to pay workers half of their salaries on the night of December 24 after bitter complaints from workers.
But Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Idowu Adelusi, who refuted the allegation, said the salaries of workers in the state had been paid.
Adelusi, who described the governor as sensitive and responsive, said: “He has started distributing Christmas gifts to all categories of people since Monday.
“So, it sounds so unfathomable that a governor that could do that would now abandon the workers, who are critical to this government.
“The APC must realise that no amount of propaganda would bridge the wide gulf that existed between it and Ekiti workers due to high-handedness of the immediate past government led by Governor Kayode Fayemi,” Adelusi said.
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