Aregbesola Has Done Well For Osun Workers – Osun NLC Chairman

By Francis Ezediuno

For recognising and appreciating the workforce in the State of Osun and christening a major road in the state capital, Osogbo, ‘Workers Drive’, the state chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has commended the state governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola for a job well done.

This commendation was made by the state NLC chairman, Comrade Jacob Adekomi during an interview with OSUN DEFENDER on Wednesday.

While revealing that it was a job well done, Adekomi revealed that in the annals of the state, no government had deemed it fit to honour workers in the state in such  way.

He maintained that despite the paucity of funds, Aregbesola would be remembered as a governor who took the welfare of workers into consideration.

He called on the governor to fulfill his promise of paying the backlog of workers’ salaries adding that no worker has been retrenched since the inception of the administration in November 27th, 2010.

According to him, Aregbesola has set a precedent that his predecessor must aim to beat, observing that the state capital had worn a new look and can be compared to any other city in the country.

On the issue of the new minimum wage being advocated by the federal government, Adekomi hinted that there is need to review the nation’s revenue formula in a bid for states to be able to pay their workers promptly.

He also maintained that the state governments too must have the will to pay their workers, adding that ‘where there is a will, there will be a way’.

On the intervention programmes of the Rauf Aregbesola administration, the NLC helmsman disclosed that it has helped to get the youth off the street and the society was better for it.

He observed that jobless youths were being empowered and armed financially and economically.

While responding to the issue of a successor to this administration, he remarked that what the state’s workers wanted was a governor that would take workers welfare into consideration.

“We want a governor that will develop Osun and treat workers well. We have contributed to the development of the state, so we expect somebody that is ready to rule and satisfy workers’ welfare”, he added.