TUC honours Kila, Esele, journalists, others

The Trade Congress of Nigeria (TUC) at the weekend, honoured two of its past leaders, Sen. Comrade Femi Kila and Comrade Peter Esele with life time achievement award, for their dedication, selfless services and contributions towards the growth of TUC in Nigeria.

Governor of Akwa-Ibom state, Umo Eno clinched the labour friendly governor award for his genuine commitments towards the welfare of workers, especially, for paying the highest minimum wage to workers in the state.

Also honoured in recognition of their outstanding dedication and seamless service towards the growth of TUC at the 2nd edition of the union’s Dinner and Award night on Saturday in Abuja were Comrade M.O  Akinade, and Comrade Bala Tijani.

Employee awards in recognition of outstanding and selfless service towards the growth of the working class went to Comrade Benedict Asogwa, Comrade Alex Ofulu, Comrade George Nwoko, Comrade Lawrence Egbadon and Comrade Chukwudi Amaoge

While all members of the immediate past National Administrative Council (NAC) were honoured with Service award for their efforts and impacts in the past three years, others honoured with special plaques of recognition were; Office of the Accountant General of the Federation currently headed by Shamsedeen Ogunjimi, former Presidents of the TUC; Comrade Bobboyi Kaigama, Comrade Quadri Olaleye and Comrade Peace Obiajulu.

Journalists honoured by the TUC for excellent reportage of labour events were; Patrick Abulu of the African Independent Television (AIT), Collins Olayinka of the Guardian Newspaper, Friday Okeregbe of Channels Television, and Joke Adisa of TVC Television.

President of the TUC, Comrade Festus Osifo, who presented the Labour Friendly Governor Award to the Akwa-Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, said out of the 36 Governors, he was the only one who stood out with labour-friendly track record of immense dedication and commitment to workers welfare, industrial harmony, timely payment of salaries and pensions, as well as inclusive social dialogue.

He said: After a rigorous and thorough scrutiny, Akwa-Ibom State Governor is the only one out of 36 Governors that got the labour friendly governor. He  pays the highest minimum wage, he is committed to capacity building of workers.

“We appreciate you for taking care of the workforce. It was extremely rigorous because in trade unions we don’t give awards to governors any how but you are outstanding in your efforts towards workers in your state.”

Earlier in his welcome remarks, Osifo who noted that the different  categories of award went to those who gave their best, said it was important to recognise and honour the efforts of members who were putting their all into national production on a daily basis.

“The most important factor of production is the worker, is the people, because if the people are not there, if the people are absent, it means clearly that all that factors of production are useless. The land cannot feel itself. Capital, when you keep it in the bank, cannot produce anything, but when the people are there, then it shows clearly that we are ready to produce.

“We shouldn’t wait for others to recognise the effort that Nigerian workers are putting into production, we shouldn’t wait for management to recognise us, we shouldn’t wait for government to recognise us, but we will recognise ourselves. When we look at people that are doing their best on a daily basis, people that are performing above board, we will give them recognition.

“In TUC, we push for the best, we try to eliminate mediocrity. So, anybody that you are going to see that stands here tonight are people that have contributed their best.”

Former President of TUC, Comrade Bobboyi Kaigama who delved deeply to give a detailed history of TUC, said the  Congress was the first labour centre approved by government in 83 years ago, in 1942, during the colonial era.

Bobboyi who noted that the TUC was what he described as “just a reincarnation,” explained that “in the history of the movement of the Federation of Unions in this country, the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria is the first.

“We are just reincarnated. We came on board in 1942, and it was the only labour centre approved by the government then in the colonial administrations and we borrowed that from our colonial rulers then, the British government. They had the UK TUC that was established in 1868.”

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