For the purposes of serving as compelling motivation to complete the multi million naira abandoned secretariat edifice, and a sort of protest against its abandonment by his predecessors, despite the numerous benefits it will bring to the union when in use, the new President of National Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE,Imo State, Comrade Okey Okere, has vowed to continue use the shade of a tree in the unions secretariat as his office, until his executive completes the gigantic secretariat complex.
The labour leader who reiterated this vow when he received members of the Ngor Okpala Media Advisory Council, who were on a fact finding visit, noted that although he has office in the small bungalow that used to serve as secretariat of the union, right from the time of the Comrade Steve Ibe’s leadership, he has chosen not to move into it, to avoid relapsing into complacency and forgetting the crucial task of completing and opening the.massive secretariat, for the use of the union and the public..
According to him, making that secretariat functional was one of the key electoral promises he made to workers in the run up to the election, that produced him and as such, he was under obligation to fulfill it, since doing that will be in his own interest and that of the entirety of NULGE members.
Comrade Okere who is also the Vice Chairperson of Nigeria Labour Congress,NLC, in the state, further disclosed that apart from the secretariat completion, the other major priority for his leadership will be the struggle for the welfare and well being of local government workers, as well as restoration of their dignity.
He explained that in pursuit of those objectives which he noted are so fundamental,his administration has already commenced engagement with the administration of Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodinma, with the view to resolving the problem of throwing out workers from the payroll, over allegation of been irregularly employed.
The labour leader disclosed that so far the efforts his team is making is yielding fruit,as Gov Uzodinma who he said, is a listening governor,has agreed to set up another committee to review the work of the first committee that branded the workers irregularly employed.
According to him, getting those who were ousted from the payroll due to the recommendations of the first report and who since their ouster have not being receiving salary back on the payroll, remains a key challenge for his administration, just as he expressed hope that going by the governor’s positive disposition towards the issue,a win win solution will be found.
Comrade Okere who blamed deviation from the core objectives of labour and professional unionism, and resort to politics and politicking by some past leaders for the payroll issue and many others lapses that have brought about the neglect and marginalization of the third tier of government and workers therein, resulting in dwindling job satisfaction and erosion of their dignity, stressed that beyond struggling to rectify those anomalies, the union under him will be run strictly according to the core objectives of labour unions.
Furthermore, he identified insecurity as another challenge hindering local government workers from effective functioning and discharging of duties, given that most council offices are domiciled in rural areas, adding however, that the problem is gradually subsiding ,due to the concerted effort of the governor in fighting insecurity in the state.
On the proposed local government elections, the NULGE boss lauded Gov Uzodinma for taking the bold step to conduct elections, and called on opposition parties to throw their hats into the ring and contest, instead of being bugged down by what he described as community shortsightedness.
According, community shortsightedness is a situation where people just sit down and refuse to do anything in the believe that, even if they do, there will be no positive result.
Comrade Okere urged political parties to do away with that syndrome and join the election fray, pointing out that contrary to their fears , the election may end up differently as there are signs that the governor wants to conduct a credible election.
The president who noted that recovering, rebranding and repositioning NULGE are the ideologies that, spurred him to contest for the office of the president on two occasions, disclosed that he was well aware that it was the confidence and trust union members had in his capacity and ability to deliver on his promise, that propelled them to give him landslide victory, stressing that he knows their expectations are high, even as he vowed to do everything within his powers to meet those expectations.
He expressed gratitude to the media group for coming to interface with him, adding that long before his emergence he has had maintained robust relationship with the media, promising to sustain and deepen existing partnership now that he’s the president.
In a vote of appreciation, Comrade Chuks Okoro, trustee of the union said the ascension to office of the new president signalled the coming of fresh air to the union, pointing out that the steps he’s taken so far in the few months in office, aptly demonstrated what he said.
He stressed that local government workers are happy with the government and supportive of it, he expressed gratitude to the journalists for coming to identify with the new president and his executive, urging them to always partner them as they strive to rebuild and rebrand the union.
The Imo State NULGE administrative secretary, Comrade Jennifer Bisong was also present at the meeting.
