The Oyo State Government has chided the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Sharafadeen Alli, over his comments on the ongoing industrial disputes involving doctors and lecturers in the state.
Oyo Govt slams Alli over doctors, lecturers’ strikes
The state government stated in a release by the Special Adviser (Media) to the Governor, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, that Alli’s intervention was a political move to exploit legitimate concerns.
The government accused Alli and his party of attempting to lecture the present administration on workers’ welfare, healthcare and education, despite what it described as their failure to address similar challenges when they were in power.
The state government maintained that the present administration remained committed to resolving the industrial disputes through constructive engagement with the affected unions.
It further stated that committees have been constituted, and disclosed that discussions were ongoing through established channels.
It was also explained that the government had consistently provided financial backing for the implementation of allowances and welfare provisions contained in circulars relating to the industrial dispute involving members of the Association of Medical and Dental Officers (AMDO) since 27 December, 2023.
According to him, the provisions include skipping allowance, Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS), responsibility allowance, rural posting allowance and in-service training with pay.
He stressed that the provisions were not mere policy pronouncements or campaign promises, but financial commitments that the Makinde administration had funded and sustained.
The governor’s aide also highlighted the administration’s investment in the professional development of healthcare workers.
He cited the performance of a state-sponsored doctor who reportedly recorded the best combined Part I and Part II results in the Faculty of Family Medicine at the September 2026 National Postgraduate Medical College examinations.
Olanrewaju argued that the ongoing disagreement should not be interpreted as a refusal by the government to recognise or support doctors’ entitlements.
This was as he insisted that the financial implications of the relevant circulars had consistently received government backing.
The state government also faulted Alli’s comments on the industrial situation at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH).
It accused the APC of leaving the institution in prolonged uncertainty over ownership and governance when it was in power in the state.
According to the governor’s media aide, the Makinde administration inherited the ownership crisis and took steps to resolve the dispute, restore stability and reposition the university as one of Nigeria’s leading state-owned institutions.
On workers’ welfare, Olanrewaju stated that the present administration had maintained consistent salary payments since 2019, attended to pension obligations, implemented promotions and introduced policies aimed at improving workers’ welfare and productivity.
He consequently questioned Alli’s promise of prompt payment of salaries, allowances and other entitlements if elected governor in 2027.
This was as he argued that workers should assess political parties based on their records in government, rather than campaign assurances and political gimmicks.
The government also dismissed suggestions that Makinde’s engagements outside Oyo State amounted to an abandonment of governance.
It maintained that the effectiveness of an administration should be measured by its institutions, responsiveness and results, rather than the governor’s physical presence at every moment.
Olanrewaju reaffirmed that the Makinde administration remained focused on addressing the concerns of doctors and lecturers, while protecting the interests of workers, students and residents of the state.
