By Lukman Olabiyi, Lagos
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has donated 10 hectares land to the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress Of Nigeria (TUC) for the purpose of housing scheme for the workers.
The governor also offered to build a befitting headquarters for the unions in the next 12 months, with official cars for its leadership.
The presentation of the land’s documents were done at this year’s Workers Day Commemoration, held at Mobolaji Johnson Stadium Arena, Onikan.
The theme for this year’s Workers’ Day: “COVID-19 pandemic, social and economic crises: Challenges for decent jobs, social protection and peoples welfare”.
The governor, in his address at the occassion, said all the kind gesture are part of his administration’s effort to ensure better welfare for workers in the state.
He promised the workers that the state government would continue to pririotize their welfare to make it more better.
Governor Sanwo-Olu disclosed that no workers in the state were retrenched during the COVID-19 pandemic adding that his government was poised to work collaboratively with stakeholders to ensure the judiciary was granted autonomy as well as address issues of Gender Based Violence.
He further pledged that the state would continue to celebrate health workers and was committed to the COVID-19 vaccination exercise saying some of the demands of the unions would be met while congratulating them on the May Day celebration.
Speaking earlier, Chairman TUC, Lagos State, Gbenga Ekundayo, thanked the governor for placing the issue of workers at the front burner, investments in roads infrastructure and encouraging other employers of labour in the state to retain their staff during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown urging government to continue to support the private sector for the growth of the economy
He also called on the state government to continue to embark on training and retraining of workers, improved the security architecture, recruitment of law enforcement officers in the Ministry of Environment, constitute relevant boards where labour would be represented while condemning all unfair labour practices.
Chairman NLC, Lagos State, Funmilayo Sesi, also thanked the state government for being proactive and showing leadership in the management of COVID-19 urging it to further employ more nurses as well as Midwives, ensure better package for pensioners while saying the Workers’ Day was meant to remember those who laid down their lives and celebrate those that were still alive.
She also called on the governor to address some other demands for workers to further ensure better welfare for them.
Meanwhile, the governor has commissioned, the Solidarity House of the Permanent Secretariat of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, Lagos State Branch.
