The Speaker of Ogun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Olakunle Oluomo, has challenged the executive of the labour unions in the State to always focus their agitations on the promotion and entrenchment of good governance rather than renumeration of workers.
Oluomo threw the challenge in Abeokuta during the 2021 Independence Day anniversary lecture organized by the State Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC) titled: “Nigeria at Cross Road: Who and What would save the Masses”.
The Speaker noted that propagation of issues that would advance good governance would always enjoy popular support from the masses, noting that championing development based policies would go a long way in putting the nation on the path of progress and economic stability.
He equally charged the union leaders to always have interest in politics whether directly or indirectly, pointing out that there was need for a change of attitude on the part of the elite, who often showed apathy in electioneering process especially during voting.
Citing the issues surrounding the last general elections in the United States, the Speaker recalled that Donald Trump became an issue, all segments of the American society rose against him.
Commenting on the challenges being encountered by politicians in Nigeria, Oluomo remarked that a lot of challenges were being encountered by politicians, who seek elective positions, part of which he grossly faced during the 2019 general elections.
He counseled the leadership of the union to be united and join in mobilizing the people for electoral process, stressing the need to de-emphasize money politics in the electoral process to produce high quality individuals holding elective offices.
Earlier in his presentation, the guest lecturer and a foremost human rights activist, Barr. Femi Aborisade, stated the need for the labour unions to provide leadership to the masses in championing good governance, while encouraging unity in diversity with emphasis on initiating welfarist programmes to pull the masses out of poverty irrespective of their tribes or religious affiliations.
Attributing the spate of insecurity in the nation to the collapse of purchasing power, unemployment and general economic insecurity, he explained that the challenge before the labour union was to use labour as a mission to sacrifice for the masses by pushing for masses oriented policies on behalf of the people to the government for implementation.
Also speaking, the State NLC Chairman, Comrade Emmanuel Bankole, said all stakeholders including human rights group, security personnel and politicians remained partners in progress in the new Nigeria being envisioned by the labour unions.
