Date Published: 05/01/10

MAY DAY: Ondo workers honour Mimiko, becomes Comrade Governor

….name NLC Secretariat after him

Olusegun Mimiko

Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko will now be called Comrade Governor as the State Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress conferred on him the title of Comrade at yesterday’s May Day Celebration in appreciation of his administration’s workers’ friendly postures since he became Governor in the State. According to Unions, by this honour, Mimiko would be the second Governor to be so addressed after Comrade Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State stressing that the honour would be the highest Labour Unions could ever grant a non- Labour activist.

Conferring the honour on Governor Mimiko at the Akure Sport Stadium venue of the May Day rally, the State Chairman of the NLC, Comrade Momodu Braimoh the NLC house stated that Comrade Governor Olusegun Mimiko has “worked to earn this honour and it is a mark of Workers Solidarity as he promised to work for the people of Ondo State and he is actually working.”

He attributed the decision of the workers to bestow the honour on the Governor to “Mr. Governor’s personal trait of humility, his positive contributions to the development of human and capital needs of Ondo State and his close contact with the people and identifying with their aspirations and yearnings coupled with his achievements in office within a short period of time.”

The NLC boss who noted that Workers in the State were initially skeptical when on assumption of office he promised to work for the people and improve the lives workers in the State stated that Mimiko has however proved beyond doubt, in just one year in office, that he has the interest of the workers and the people of the State at heart.

His words: “He came and said he was willing to identify with workers; he said the aspirations of workers are the aspirations of the Labour Party (LP) and we want to put it on record that all the points raised by the NLC with him since last year have been addressed, including the issue of pension and gratuities.

“His administration released N1.4 billion at once to pay pension and gratuities of primary school and secondary school teachers. Overnight, he created millionaires out of hitherto poverty stricken workers. No other Governor has done this in this country. He is the first Governor that approved 50% as Christmas bonus for workers without Labour leaders agitating for it; he implemented the TSS for Ondo State teachers also without any industrial action and is the first Governor since the creation of Ondo State in 1976 to appoint many veteran  both retired ands serving officers in his administration. And for these and many more, we gave him this honour following the approval of the National Leadership of Congress. And we look forward to many years of committed service to the people of Ondo State and Nigeria in general

Earlier on Thursday, the NLC had named the Labour House which is still under construction after the Governor. Comrade Braimoh who disclosed this at the N50million Fund Raising event to complete the Complex said that the building would be known as Dr Olusegun Mimiko Workers’ Solidarity Centre on completion.

Congress, he disclosed, decided to name it after Mimiko due to his immense contributions to Labour movement in the State.

He enthused that the Union was happy to note that Mimiko was the first Governor of the Union in the State and in the Country and one that has shown keen interest in the project when the idea was first presented to him.

Said he, “Congress decided that any Governor who is workers friendly in Ondo State shall be honoured and shall continuously be honoured and shall remain in the Workers Hall of Fame.”