From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
The 2023 governorship candidates of Accord, Adebayo Adelabu, and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Joshua Popoola, met with labour leaders in Oyo State and promised to prioritise workers’ welfare.
The duo spoke separately on Tuesday during a programme, tagged: Oyo State Guber Race 2023- Next Governor? ‘One on One with Oyo Workers’, organised by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), and Trade Union Congress(TUC) in Oyo State. The chief host on the occasions is the NLC chairman in the state, Kayode Martins.
Both Adelabu and Popoola promised to grant full autonomy to local governments in the state if elected towards bringing government closer to the people. Adelabu explained that his administration would grant autonomy to local governments in the state in order to allow for widespread development at the grassroots level.
According to Popoola, a retired federal controller of works in Ogun and Lagos States, “The very first thing I will do when I become the governor on May 29, 2023, is the announcement of local government autonomy; development will start across wards in local governments before coming to the state. Our party believes in grassroots development. If elected, the local governments would be autonomous. I am not doing them a favour. It is already in the constitution and I am just obeying what the constitution says.”
“If the local governments are autonomous, they would be able to carry out their projects, to the advantage of their people at the local level, and even the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) will have a more conducive environment to work.”
Adelabu, a retired deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) promised to make the welfare of workers in the state a top priority if elected, saying: “I have been a worker, earning salary before and enjoyed good working conditions. I know where the shoe pinches and what is best for workers’ welfare. I enjoyed regular payment of salary as a worker and I never owed any of my over 3,000 workers’ salaries. Salary payment is not an achievement or selling point.
“Any governor who owes workers has committed a crime against humanity. I will never owe workers because I have never owed any worker.”
On the welfare of workers, Popoola said he understands “the plight of labour more than any other governorship candidates in the state, adding that “Our party, New Nigerian People’s party (NNPP), understands that the key demand for labour is a government that will prioritise the fight against corruption. One of the major plans we would activate in government is adequate job security and also boost the workforce. We would employ more workers without sacking anyone. Aside from salaries, gratuities, and pensions payment when due, our government will also review the minimum wage.”