MAY DAY: LAGOS HAS ENJOYED FOUR YEARS OF SUSTAINED INDUSTRIAL HARMONY- AMBODE
…Thanks Labour Unions For Cooperation, Support
…Ambode, One OF Nigeria’s Most Labour-Friendly Governors,
Says Labour Leaders
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Wednesday
joined thousands of workers to commemorate the 2019 edition of the May Day
celebration, commending labour unions for their understanding and cooperation
in the last four years that ensured the State did not witness any industrial
action.
Governor Ambode, who spoke at the May Day Rally, held at the
Agege Stadium, Lagos with the theme, “Another 100 Years of Jobs, Dignity
and Social Justice in Nigeria”, attributed the industrial harmony and
peace in the State to the maturity and cooperation of the labour unions,
applauded them for adopting alternative dispute resolution mechanisms rather
than resort to industrial actions.
Represented by the Commissioner for Physical Planning and
Urban Development, Mr. Rotimi Ogunleye, the Governor said his administration
since inception in May 2015, prioritised workers welfare and worked closely
with union leaders to address policy and infrastructural issues, which
according to him were the bane of effectiveness and efficiency of workers in
the State.
“Having devoted myself to these objectives for the past four
years and, having worked with you all, I am glad to say that it has been a
pleasure to be your partner on this journey. I am proud of what we have
accomplished together, and I am grateful for the cooperation and support that
you have given me.
“Indeed, I am pleased that together, we have given the
people of Lagos State four productive years of sustained industrial harmony.
This is, perhaps, the longest period of such in the modern history of our State
and this was made possible by the culture of mutual respect and understanding
we nurtured and deployed.
“The culture of openness, mutual respect and frank
discussions that marked our relationship with labour and the resulting period
of industrial harmony allowed the government to initiate and implement
programmes and policies that have resulted in immediate and long-lasting
tangible values to the workers, the State government, and the good people of
Lagos State,” the Governor said.
The Governor said aside regular trainings and seminars that
workers in the State were exposed to, the State Government embarked on a
successful campaign of reorientation in the public service to enable workers
embrace the Growth Mindset in place of the hitherto limiting Fixed Mindset that
pervaded the public service.
He said that conscious efforts was also made by his
administration to meet the pension obligations and reduce outstanding payments,
while expanding programmes geared towards providing social safety nets to the
aged and retired officers of the public service.
“Very importantly, our administration concluded the review
of the State’s pension law by signing the amended Lagos State Pension Reform
Law in the first quarter of Year 2019. This amendment, among others,
increased the government’s pension contribution from 7.5 per cent to 10 per
cent. This is a legacy that we are proud to bequeath to the hardworking
officers of the Lagos State Public Service,” the Governor said.
Noting that the theme of this year’s celebration was apt and
projecting into the future ahead, Governor Ambode said he was confident that
the labour union movement in Nigeria was marching forward with optimism and
clear focus on the fundamental values and pillars of the labour movement.
“Indeed, the labour movement in Nigeria has come a long way
and yet it remains on the right path, focusing on the values that are of utmost
importance to the society and the economy.
“This theme is in line with the Federal Government’s focus
on job creation, promoting entrepreneurship and creating an enabling
environment for businesses to thrive. Jobs are important because they create
further wealth and provide the purchasing power that enables the producers of
wealth to continue to produce wealth and value.
“Dignity for workers is essential because it rewards those
who diligently and laboriously apply themselves to the everyday work of
creating value and earning a living with respect and social recognition.
Finally, social justice is the only recipe for true peace and harmony in any
society,” he said.
Besides, the Governor urged all stakeholders to see the
occasion as a time to rededicate to job creation, stable work place, equality
of all workers, dignity in labour and social justice, adding that the society
must begin to honour, respect, and reward labour and not wealth.
In his remarks, Chairman, Trade Union Congress (TUC), Lagos
State Chapter, Comrade Francis Ogunremi commended Governor Ambode for his
commitment to workers welfare in the last four years especially in areas of
prompt payment of salary, allowances and timely remittance of workers’
pensions, describing him as one of the most labour-friendly Governors.
He also lauded the various initiatives of the Governor in
key sectors including massive road projects, solving traffic challenges
especially launching of Traffic Information System, repositioning of State
Emergency Agency, scaling up security architecture of the State, construction
of Safety Arena, Health Insurance Scheme, among others.
Also speaking, Lagos State Chairman of Nigeria Labour
Congress (NLC), Comrade Sessi Agnes Funmi commended Governor Ambode for his
excellent performance, saying the efforts made so far by the Governor remained
a challenge for other State Governors to strive harder to achieve.
She, however, warned the Federal Government to completely
drop the idea of increasing the Value Added Tax (VAT) as a means of funding the
2019 budget.
Sahara Weekly
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