CIVIL Servants in Ondo state and the Nigerian Labour Congress’s national body have endorsed the Ondo state Governor Dr Olusegun Mimko for a second term in office even as a mass rally was staged in support of the second term bid by the workers.
The support rally by workers in the State in Akure the state capital, was attended by the national officers of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
Governor Mimiko expressed delight over the massive support so far received from the entire workforce since his assumption of office and affirmed that no amount of propaganda would deter him from making the state an envy for other states and also benchmarking his programmes for the continent of Africa .
He added that the support of the workers would further encourage him to work harder for the people in accordance with his inauguration speech, stressing that all the God-given potentials of the state would be harnessed to take the state to a greater height.
The Governor, who was excited with various words of encouragement from the labour leaders on his achievements in office, named the new park behind the central mosque in Akure Democracy park in honour of the workers for organising the first event to ever hold at the park.
His words “I’m convinced that this event today is not by coincidence. I must appreciate our workers in this state for their unequivocal support and solidarity at all times. This day is a vindication of our effort to turn around the fortune of this state. God has used us to translate our vision into reality. At my inauguration, I promised to work for you and I said I will not mind stepping on toes.
“Today, we thank God for what he has used us to do in the last three and a half years. This period is a challenging one for our nation and I’m very optimistic that tomorrow will be better for our country. I want to appeal to you to remain calm and peaceful. I know that they will come to provoke you but please do not allow their provocation to cause chaos in the state”. Said Mimiko.
Earlier in her speech, the state chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Comrade Bosede Dararmola lauded the Governor for the various unprecedented achievements in office.
According to her, workers in the state have benefitted immensely from the Mimiko government in the areas of implementation of salary relativity and payment of N22, 000 minimum wage, which is the highest in the country, regular payment of salaries and promotion, appointment of both retired and serving labour leaders into political offices, elongation of secretariat assistant cadre from GL09 to GL14 and payment of 50% basic salary as Christmas bonus for workers.
Others are building of a world-class training institute, payment of weigh-in allowance for media workers, giving full recognition and re-organization to artisans and informal sector and release of N1.4 billion in 2009 to pay the retirement benefit of retired primary school teachers and local government workers among others.
The national leadership of the NLC and TUC represented by Comrade Kiri Mohammed, deputy president of the NLC and Comrade John Kolawole, secretary general of the TUC publicly endorsed Governor Mimiko to continue in office beyond 2013 based on his numerous achievements.