The Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP) has charged the new caretaker committee of one its branch, the Federal Civil Service pensioners, to strictly adhere to the stipulation of the constitution, ensure peace among members and also strengthen the union by galvanising members.
National President of NUP, Comrade Godwin Abumisi, while inaugurating the committee members, also charged the new leadership to recognise its boundaries as one of the branches of NUP and work for the progress of the union.
He went on to warn that forming parallel union instead of prioritising welfare of members and unity of the union will not be condoned.
The newly inaugurated caretaker committee was also given a terms of reference to guide them in their new assignment.
The terms states: “The committee is to serve for initial period of six months, to reorganise the branch in line with the union’s constitution, to organise proper election for the branch at state and zonal levels, to prepare the branch for a national election within a reasonable space of time and to ensure the branch is stable and united in the interest of all the pensioners of the branch.”
Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune, chairman of the caretaker committee, Comrade Eguoba, pledged that his leadership of the branch will work hard and ensure that the unity of the branch and NUP is prioritised.
He noted that the approval of his leadership by the National Executive Council (NEC) and all members of the branch is a sign that unity of purpose has prevailed and that peace and progress have come to stay in the union.
Eguoba said, “This new leadership headed by me will galvanise and strengthen the union because it has the approval of all. Most importantly, the NEC supported and approved our emergence as the new leaders of Federal Civil Service branch of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners.
“We have been given a mandate and we will strictly adhere to the terms of reference for our job.
“In the first place, the Federal Civil Service state branches of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners have been bastardised. There were so many crises during the period of the immediate past leadership. And we at the federal branch we are not happy because unity, which is the closest word to union, was lacking.
“The welfare of pensioners, which the union ought to prioritise, was abandoned because of in-fighting. But now that a court judgment has set the record straight and the leadership has been put in place, we will reorganise ourselves and ensure peace reigns. We will conduct election across the state branches and national headquarters as well. We will ensure the elections are free and fair and we will make our union strong again.”
Members of the new leadership of the Federal Civil Service branch are Comrade Fred Eguoba, Chairman; Comrade Lawal Mani, Vice Chairman; Comrade Garba Usman, Treasurer; Comrade Ahmed Saleh, Trustee 1; Comrade Bulus Angyu, Trustee II; Comrade Bola Lawal, Auditor; Comrade Felix Ajoku, PRO and Comrade Abiodun Michael, Secretary.
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