Posts
Olubiyi
Odunaro, the 53-year-old former employee of Hallmark Bank Plc.,
protesting against non-payment of his terminal benefit, on Monday
suspended his 14-day hunger strike.
The suspension of the protest followed
spirited appeal by a representation from the Lagos State Governor,
Babatunde Fashola, and officials from the Lagos office of the Public
Complaints Commission.
Senior Special Assistant to Fashola on
Justice Sector Reforms, Lanre Akinsola, who led a team of legal, welfare
and medical officials to the tent Odunaro had turned to his home on
Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, Lagos, promised to intervene.
Akinsola said, “The attention of the
Lagos State Government was drawn to the various media reports about the
protest being embarked upon by Odunaro and it’s quite pathetic.
“Governor Fashola who was worried about
his state of health formed an inter-ministerial committee comprising
medical, legal and welfare officials and directed me to lead the team
to persuade him to end his hunger strike.
“As a responsible government we don’t
want a dead casualty in our hands as a result of this protest. Once he
ends this protest, we would first provide him medical service while the
Lagos State Directorate of Citizens Rights would engage the authorities
concerned in a comprehensive dialogue.”
Akinsola said the Lagos State Attorney
General and Commissioner for Justice, Ade Ipaye, had given him his word
on free legal services to Odunaro and other ex-workers of
non-consolidated banks seeking the payment of their entitlements if the
negotiations become unfruitful.
“We will mediate and talk to the right
people and we believe reason will prevail in this matter and if not,
lawyers from the Lagos State Ministry of Justice will work in
conjunction with the lawyer of the group and ensure that justice
prevails and everyone of them gets their entitlement,” he added.
John Ogunniyi, who led a legal team from the Public Complaints Commission, implored Odunaro to end the hunger strike.
He said, “The Lagos Commissioner of the
Public Complaints Commission, Funso Olukoga, sends his word that you end
this protest and go back home while we look into your complaints
No comments:
Post a Comment