Mr. Bobboi Bala Kaigama, the President of Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN)was recently elected President of\u00c2 the\u00c2 Trade Union Congress (TUC), at its 8th triennial delegates conference in Abuja. Many observers are of the view that, Bobboi has a huge challenge ahead of him-\u00c2 filling\u00c2 the “big” shoes left by Comrade Peter Esele.<\/p>\n
There is no doubt Bobboi has the capacity to build on Esele’s achievements as well as continue on the programmes and initiatives started by Esele. He was, afterall a vital player in Esele’s success story.<\/p>\n
So, Bobboi has the advantage and also posseses the knowledge, exposure and the necessary network. His leadership of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) was a sterling one. Bobboi’s victory over Babatunde Oguns of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN)\u00c2 can best be described as an endorsement\u00c2 of\u00c2 Team-Esele tenure. It also shows\u00a0 delegates desire for continuation of the policies and programmes initiated by Esele.<\/p>\n
With people like Sunday Olusoji Salako, the President of Associations of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI), Mr. Augustin Etafo of PENGASSAN and Mr. Bede Opara of the Senior Staff of Electricity and Allied Corporation, Bobboi has a\u00a0 strong and well experienced team that can make a difference.\u00c2 Though this writer,\u00c2 being a member of PENGASSAN, would have loved to see one of our own emerge President, the best candidate won.<\/p>\n
The labour movement in Nigeria is in a time that most Nigerians have some degree of confidence in it. However, sustaining and building the confidence depends on the ability of its leadership to\u00c2 have a clear knowledge of where they want to take the unions. At this crucial time\u00c2 that general\u00c2 electionsin the country are\u00c2 approaching, Bobboi and his team must be honest in everything they do, both within the TUC and in dealing with other stakeholders.They should also\u00c2 hold firm to\u00c2 the main purpose\u00c2 of unionism- promotion of welfare of the commoners.<\/p>\n
To be successful, the new TUC National Executive should remember their allegiance extends beyond the 2.5 million members and 24 affliates but also to the 150 million Nigerians who rely on them to champion and lead the fight against corruption which is responsible for\u00c2 the\u00c2 state of abject poverty most Nigerians live in. Nigerians expect Mr. Bobboi and his team to steer the TUC to a new paradigm. That is, apart from being the hotbed for activism for checking those in authority, the TUC should also be the vehicle for advising governments at all levels in the formulation and implementation of policies and programmes that help create a societal system\u00c2 where crime is fought with employment and development opportunities rather than guns and a service structure where civil servants penchant for bribery is fought with meaningful wages.The TUC should as a matter of urgency work closely with other relevant sister organizations,\u00a0 especially the press in instituting in Nigeria, the International Labour Organization (ILO) strategies of: formulation of policies and programmes to promote basic human rights, improve working and living conditions, and enhance employment opportunities; promotion of national labour standards and Training, education and research activities to help advance the quality of living\u00c2 in the country.<\/p>\n
The TUC is well-known for its strict monitoring and checks of those in power at the centre. However, it seems asleep in checking the excesses of politicians at the other tiers of government.State Governors have become emperors in their states. Bobboi should take advantage of his strong team and the long interaction he had with Esele, to break that tradition and spread the voice of the TUC in checking every state of the federation through it branches, its National Executive Council, National Administrative Council and the press. All said and done, he must\u00c2 balance TUC’s relationship with government and members expectations, in addition to differentiating between politics and policy- avoid, unknowingly becoming a tool in the hands of politicians, either in government or in the oppositions. Above all, the new TUC leader must remember that he is now a custodian of Nigerian workers\u00a0 hope in making our nascent democracy more participatory and\u00a0 people-oriented.<\/p>\n
At the launch of his campaign for the post of TUC President, Bobboi promised\u00c2 to consolidate on the achievements of Esele and take the trade congress higher. Now he has won. The\u00c2 over 2.5 million TUC members, 24 affiliates and the over 150 million Nigerians are watching. Mr. Bobboi, congratulations!<\/p>\n
Zayyad I. Muhammad writes from Jimeta, Adamawa State, zaymohd@yahoo.com, 08036070980. He blogs at www.zayyaddp.blogspot.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Mr. Bobboi Bala Kaigama, the President of Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN)was recently elected President of\u00c2 the\u00c2 Trade Union Congress (TUC), at its 8th triennial delegates conference…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14919,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14914","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles-opinions"],"yoast_head":"\n