The
presentation is coming on the heels of an earlier presentation of
commuter buses to convey civil servants to and from work, improving the
conditions of the workers, provision of bags of rice and increasing
workers’ salaries by 15 percent in January this year.
- (L-R) Comrade Patrick Obianyo, Chairman, Anambra State chapter of NLC, Chief Willie Obiano, Governor of Anambra State and Hon. Chidi Ezeoke, Head of Service, during the presentation of buses to organized labour at Governor's Lodge, Amawbia
Presenting the vehicles to the leadership of the State Congress headed by Comrade Patrick Obianyo at the Governor’s Lodge, Amawbia, governor Obiano recalled that he had previously presented a vehicle to the Union, stressing that the buses would enhance the activities of the Congress towards promoting the welfare of workers.
Said
he; “We had earlier given them one bus. We are simply responding to
their request. They complained that when their leaders attend Labour
meetings at the national level, they watch their colleagues from other
states arrive in their official vehicles while the Anambra chapter
arrives in a hired bus. I won’t accept that. We had to do something
about that.”
Responding
to the governor’s kind gesture, the Chairman, Anambra State chapter of
the NLC, Comrade Obianyo recalled that when Obiano was running for
election, “he promised that he would not only fix our roads and other
infrastructure, but that he would also fix human beings. He has
demonstrated it in all ramifications.”
Speaking
further, Comrade Obianyo observed that “What he has done here today has
never happened before in the history of organized labour in Anambra
State. He has given NLC a vehicle, given one to Joint Negotiating
Council and one to the TUC. This is unusual. We are very happy about it.
We are grateful to him.”
Comrade
Obianyo therefore assured the governor that the workers in the state
would reciprocate the kind gestures with greater productivity. Narrating
a brief history of organized labour in the state, Comrade Obianyo said,
“It might interest you to note that no governor has ever given one bag
of rice to the entire workforce in Anambra State and Governor Obiano has
done that in just one year. If the governor can show so much concern in
just one year, you can then imagine what we should expect in the coming
years. Now we are convinced that Anambra State is blessed.”
In
his own remarks, the Head of Service of Anambra State, Mr. Chidi Ezeoke
expressed gratitude to the governor for his kind gesture towards the
workers, pointing out that the governor is genuinely committed to
impacting positively on the lives of the workers and making life more
meaningful for Ndi Anambra.
Mr.
Ezeoke recalled that governor Obiano had previously provided vehicles
to transport workers to and from work, bags of rice to workers and
adjusted their salaries among others.