The Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, on Wednesday thanked workers in the state for cooperating with him in the last four years.
He said as a result of their cooperation and understanding, the state had not experienced any industrial action under his watch in the last four years.
Ambode said this on Wednesday, in his remarks during the May Day rally, held at the Agege Stadium to commemorate this year’s Workers’ Day.
The governor, who was represented at the rally by the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Rotimi Ogunleye, described the harmony between him and the labour unions in the last four years as unprecedented.
He attributed the harmony to mutual understanding and the commitment of his administration to workers’ welfare.
He said, “I am pleased that together, we have given the people of Lagos State four productive years of sustained industrial harmony. This is, perhaps, the longest period of such in the modern history of our state and this was made possible by the culture of mutual respect and understanding we nurtured and deployed.
“The culture of openness, mutual respect and frank discussions that marked our relationship with labour and the resulting period of industrial harmony allowed the government to initiate and implement programmes and policies that have resulted in immediate and long-lasting tangible values to the workers, the state government, and the good people of Lagos State.”
Ambode said under his watch the state invested in training and seminars for workers to enhance their productivity just as it launched orientation campaigns to change the limiting mindset of civil servants.
“Very importantly, our administration concluded the review of the state pension law by signing the amended Lagos State Pension Reform Law in the first quarter of 2019. This amendment, among others, increased government’s pension contribution from 7.5 per cent to 10 per cent. This is a legacy that we are proud to bequeath to the hard-working officers of the Lagos State Public Service,” he added.
Ambode said the state and private employers must see this year’s May Day, with the theme, ‘Another 100 Years of Jobs, Dignity and Social Justice in Nigeria,’ as a call to “rededicate to job creation, stable work place, equality of all workers, dignity in labour and social justice.”
“The society must begin to honour, respect, and reward labour and not wealth,” he added.
In his remarks, the Chairman, Trade Union Congress, Lagos State Chapter, Francis Ogunremi, described Ambode as the most labour-friendly governor, while commending him for his commitment to workers’ welfare as shown through prompt payment of salary, allowances and timely remittance of workers’ pensions.
On his part, the Lagos State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Sessi Agnes Funmi, said Ambode’s giant strides in the last four years remained a challenge for other governors in the country.
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