Workers of Kwara Hotel, under the aegis of the Hotel and Personal Services Senior Staff Association (HAPSSSA) and the National Union of Hotels and Personal Service Workers (NUHPSW), have called on the state government to pay their total terminal benefits amounting to N264,522,921.15.
Speaking to journalists in Ilorin on Wednesday, the group’s leaders—Comrade Cornelius Aiyeetan from the NUHPSW headquarters in Abuja, Comrade Salami Moshood of the Kwara State HAPSSSA, and Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim of Kwara State NUHPSW—criticised the termination of 78 hotel workers via WhatsApp messages.
The affected workers, both senior and junior staff of Kwara Hotels in Ilorin, are demanding payment of outstanding gratuities, union dues, service charges, pension, NHIS, cooperative deductions, and leave grants. They noted that some colleagues have died or are suffering from health issues due to the unpaid benefits, which span from 2016 to 2023 under the management of Harmony Holdings Limited, a state government entity.
Additionally, the workers expressed disappointment that, despite promises from the state government to integrate them into the state civil service, none have been absorbed.
Nevertheless, the workers expressed their support and appreciation for the current state government’s efforts, particularly Governor Abdulrazaq Abdulrahman’s ongoing renovation of Kwara Hotel.
“The hotel was shut down on October 2022 with a directive that all Kwara Hotel workers should be moved to Ministry of Business Innovation and Technology (MBIT).
“A steering committee was set up which was chaired by the then-commissioner of the said Ministry by state government to midwife the workers to the Ministry, but after several meetings with the committee, recommendation was submitted to the state government.
“Then much later, Council approved the movement of workers as recommended by the Committee. The Head of Service invited Workers for documentation at the Civil Service Commission around February 2022 with the promise to absolve all the Workers into the mainstream of the state Government. But since then nothing positive has come out of it.
“Once again, we are workers both Senior and Junior Workers of Kwara Hotels, Ilorin, Kwara State jointly agreed to table our demand comprising outstanding Gratuity, Union Dues, Service Charge, Pension, NHIS, Cooperative deductions, Leave grants and other Deductions.
“The Total Terminal benefits amounting to the sum of N264,522,92 1.15 (Two Hundred and Sixty-Four Million, Five Hundred and Twenty-Two Thousand, Nine Hundred and Twenty-One Naira, Fifteen Kobo).
“The above outstanding benefits belong to 78 workers as terminal benefits. The outstanding payments are between the periods of 2016-2023 under the management of Harmony Holdings Limited.
“The workers’ prayer is immediate payment of the mentioned Terminal benefits Totaling the sum of N264,522,92 1.15 (Two Hundred and Sixty-Four Million, Five Hundred and Twenty Two Thousand, Nine Hundred and Twenty One Naira, Fifteen Kobo) from the State Government.
“Similarly, we reject outright the purported Workers Whatsapp Termination letters issued by the Management of Harmony Holding Limited, dated May 22, 2024 against the promise of the State Government of NO JOB LOSS during his tenure as a governor of the state.
“Moreso, our heartfelt sympathy for the demise and all health-challenged Kwara Hotel workers.
“Please, note that the outstanding of the previous Management Kwara Hotel (KHMIS) totaling about N200,000,000 (Two Hundred Million Naira) is yet to be paid by the State Government.
“Lastly, we are highly in support and appreciation as regards the ongoing renovation of Kwara Hotel by His Excellency, Mallam Abdulrazaq Abdulrahman.”
