…As labour unions endorse governor for second term

By Michael Ofulue, Osogbo

Workers in Osun State, in their hundreds, have thrown their weight behind the second term ambition of Governor Ademola Adeleke, declaring: “No vacancy till 2030.”

The Chairmen of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Christopher Arapasopo, and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Bimbo Fasasi, announced the workers’ endorsement of the governor after what they described as extensive consultations with the labour rank and file, citing the governor’s “overwhelmingly sensitive” performance in office.

According to a statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, on Thursday, the labour leaders, in their separate speeches, listed a number of the governor’s achievements in workers’ welfare to include: prompt payment of full salaries to date; prompt payment of gratuities and pensions to retirees; continuous payment of outstanding salary arrears owed by the past administration to workers and retirees; full payment of all outstanding cooperative deductions; promotion of workers with corresponding pay rise; free health insurance cover for all Osun State pensioners; payment of N10,000 to pensioners under the Contributory Pension Scheme; full implementation of the National Minimum Wage of N75,554.28 for all workers and N25,000 for all pensioners, among others.

In his speech, Governor Adeleke announced the approval of a fresh bond payment for pensioners, which was met with wild applause from the jubilant, singing and dancing workers and labour leaders.

“I have just approved, through the Office of the Head of Service, the payment of bonds for retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme worth over N4 billion.

“This covers the state and local governments as follows:
(a) State, comprising the Civil Service Parastatals, Secondary Schools, Tertiary Institutions and UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital — Two Billion, One Hundred and Seventy-Five Million, Two Hundred and Eighty Thousand Naira (N2,175,280,322.54);
(b) Local Government and Primary School retirees — Two Billion, Ninety-Eight Million, Four Hundred and Sixty-Six Thousand Naira (N2,098,466,528.87).

“The total stands at Four Billion, Two Hundred and Seventy-Three Million, Seven Hundred and Forty-Six Thousand Naira (N4,273,746,851.40),” Adeleke said.

He also revealed that he had approved the commencement of the 2025 promotion exercise for eligible officers and staff across the entire public service, including those at the local government level.

“As I speak, the April 2025 salaries and allowances have been paid to all categories of workers across the state,” the governor stated.

“We have continued, without interruption, the payment of the 30-month backlog of half salaries. In fact, we have almost completed the payment of these half salaries for contributory pensioners.

“We are vigorously pursuing free healthcare services for our senior citizens.

“We have never reneged on the implementation of the new minimum wage, which remains one of the best in the country.

“In line with our politics without bitterness, we have cleared all outstanding deductions from workers’ salaries left behind by our predecessors.

“We have also cleared all outstanding promotion arrears inherited, including the full cash backing of such promotions.

“Driven by the belief that a well-trained public service is essential for effective service delivery, we continue to invest in the capacity building of our public servants,” Adeleke told the cheering crowd.

He stated that his administration was focused on repositioning the state’s economy to serve the people, adding, “We are managing state resources in a way that ensures no sector is left behind. While we are not borrowing to fund governance, we have reduced the inherited debt burden by over 40 per cent, a fact confirmed by the Debt Management Office in its recent report.

“Our administration has expanded the state’s GDP through a renewed drive in the business sector. Our record in the ease of doing business is commendable, and the business community has applauded our 45-day window for processing and issuing Certificates of Occupancy.

“We are rebuilding the state economy to benefit the people. Through our local content policies, our professionals, suppliers, and artisans are fully engaged. Osun money is serving Osun people.

“We are faithfully implementing our five-point agenda, with workers’ welfare as the top priority. In all our undertakings, we care deeply for both workers and pensioners,” the governor declared.

Meanwhile, the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused Governor Adeleke’s administration of “squandering the state’s resources to fund an unmerited endorsement of his second term bid by the state chapters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the factionalised Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).”

According to a statement issued by the party’s Director of Media and Information, “It has been discovered that the state government made available the sum of N172 million for the factional leadership of NULGE, NLC and TUC, with N97 million allocated to the factionalised NULGE, while both the NLC and the TUC smiled to the bank with N75 million.

“This means that the Adeleke-led government disbursed N172 million as an inducement for the labour unions to endorse the governor’s second term ambition on May Day,” the statement read.