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Workers’ Day: NLC, TUC eulogise Akeredolu over welfare packages

By Adekola Afolabi

As workers across the globe marked International Workers Day to celebrate labourers and the working class, labour leaders in Ondo state have thumbed up the state Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, for his various welfare packages.

In their separate addresses marking the 2022 Workers’ Day celebration held at the Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Arcade, Akure, the state Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Sunday Adeleye and his Trade Union Congress (TUC) counterpart, Comrade Helen Odofin, applauded Governor Akeredolu for his giant strides towards good governance in the state.

The labour leaders also commended the present administration for its efforts towards advancement of education, security, infrastructures, health among other sectors, saying the various programmes and interventions of government are quite commendable.

The NLC chairman particularly appreciated Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for regular promotion of eligible workers, conversion of qualified staff, regular disbursement of car and housing loans, appointment of Permanent Secretaries, Tutors-General, General Managers among others, on merit of seniority and across all officers’ cadres.

Comrade Adeleye who is also the National President, of the Nigeria Civil Service Union (NCSU) further lauded the governor for employment into critical sectors of the public service like SUBEB and Primary Health Care Board among other areas.

While revealing that Nigeria is faced with terrible and heartrending issues ranging from banditry, kidnapping, ritual killing and the seemingly unending herdsmen attacks on innocent citizens and massive destruction of farmlands, the NLC chairman observed that the sickening effect has caused great fear, trepidation and hunger in the land as no one dare go to farm anymore.

“The fear of the herders now is the beginning of wisdom. To ensure that Ondo State Workers are at peace in their respective domains, Labour as a progressive partner and concerned body recently supported our home made security arrangement, Amotekun Corps with 30 motorcycles for effective patrol and curbing of criminal activities in the 18 Local Government Areas of the state.

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It was indeed novel and a clarion call to all well intentioned citizens of the state to make meaningful contributions in support of the Ondo State Security Trust Fund. No doubt, the security outfit has extremely done well beyond our collective imaginations”, Adeleye added.

On her part, the TUC chairman, Comrade Helen Odofin, listed the laudable interventions of the government in the education sector to include sponsorship of students at both national and international competitions resulting in outstanding performances of the state contingents in the Science, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM); payment of N360million for registration of 2021 WASSCE candidates in all public schools; payment of N3.8 million for the registration of candidates for 2021 NABTEB Examination; Bursary and scholarship awards to 7,447 students of the state; construction and renovation of Infrastructural facilities in public primary schools, among several other achievements.

Addressing workers at the ceremony, the state Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, who congratulated them for witnessing another Day, also saluted the workers for their resilience and commitment to service in spite of the obvious economic challenges confronting the country.

Akeredolu explained that his administration has been doing its best for the public service of the state, adding that “our administration not only believes in the welfare of the workers but has also demonstrated this abundantly and convincingly, in more ways than one, through the formulation and implementation of policies designed to improve their conditions of service”.

The Governor who was represented by the Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Wale Akinterinwa, disclosed that the 8-point REDEEMED Agenda was also to re-engineer the Civil Service and make it result-oriented, as a reliable and dependable ally in the conduct of government business.

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Akeredolu also said, “Since February 2017, when our administration came on board, we invested heavily In our human capital development. I can assert, with all sense of responsibility, that our career officers rank among the best trained anywhere in Nigeria.

“The facts speak for themselves. In spite of the daunting economic challenges, a good number of our workers have benefited from both overseas and local courses and we assure you that this would be a continuous exercise.

“Meanwhile, in our continued quest to reposition and strengthen the service for positive and progressive service delivery to the people of Ondo State, about 4,279 personnel had been recruited into various critical sectors of the Public Service from 2017 to date. Over 3,532 eligible workers of different categories have been slated for promotion this year 2022. We have also ensured the regular release of Vehicle and Housing Loans to deserving officers”.

The Governor went further to list some of the laudable achievements of his administration in the last 62 months in terms of people’s welfare in the state.

These include, unprecedented immense infrastructural development in Ondo State; massive renovation of the Primary Health Care Centres in all the Wards of Ondo State; recruitment of over 500 health personnel including medical doctors; sinking and resuscitation of over 2,700 boreholes in our rural and urban areas through the Kamomi Aketi water scheme.

Others are, construction and renovation of over 700 blocks of classroom through SUBEB in the 18 Local Government Area of Ondo State; establishments of Ondo/ Linyi Industrial Hub in Ore; recruitment of over 500 graduates into the State Internal Revenue Service; distribution of medical equipment and consumables worth six million dollars among all the hospitals in Ondo State.

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“Highest road projects in the history of Ondo State; the establishment of cassava to ethanol factory which produces 300 metric tonnes of ethanol per day; the establishment of the Western Nigeria Security Network (Amotekun Corps), responsible for curbing insecurity in the region, especially in Ondo State; and from 700 million monthly chart, Ondo State has been recording sustained growth in its IGR since 2017. As of January 2022 the monthly IGR of the State was not less than N2 billion.

“I speak with all sense of modesty that all these were achieved in spite of the dwindling financial resources of the State Government. I must also acknowledge that the public service of Ondo has made these achievements possible through your cooperation and dedication to duty”, the Governor added.

The well attended yearly event witnessed Solidarity Songs and March Past by Industrial Unions.

Meanwhile, Ondo State Governor, Akeredolu, has congratulated the workers in the state on the occasion of the 2022 Workers’ Day Celebration.

He saluted the resilience and dedication of the civil servants which have engendered optimum service delivery to the people of the state.

The Governor, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Richard Olatunde, appreciated the leadership of the organized labour in the state for the continued exhibition of maturity, understanding and support, particularly at these challenging times.

“The workers are the strong engine room of every government. Their contributions to the success of any administration cannot be over-emphasized.

“It is in recognition of the importance of our workers that this administration has continued to place premium on their welfare”, he stated.

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