Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Monday allayed fears
that plans by his administration to phase out the yellow commercial
buses, popularly known as Danfo would lead to massive job losses, saying that it would instead create more jobs in the transportation sector.
The Governor, who spoke at the May Day Rally held at the Agege
Stadium to commemorate the 2017 Workers Day Celebration, said the Bus
Reform Initiative, aimed at introducing over 5000 air-conditioned buses
to replace the Danfo buses would open new vista of opportunities, while
also redefining the means of road transportation in the State.
Responding to the fears raised by the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour
Congress (NLC), Lagos Council, Comrade Idowu Adelakun and his Trade
Union Congress (TUC) counterpart, Comrade Francis Ogunremi on the
implications of the initiative to drivers, conductors, mechanics and
other artisans, Governor Ambode assured that it would benefit all
Lagosians on the long run.
He said: “If Lagos is to be globally competitive, we need to change
the outlook of the way the city runs. What is of paramount interest to
this government is to make sure that every Lagosian has a comfortable
means of moving from one point to the other. But I promise you there
will be no job losses.
“The Governor is not interested in driving all the new buses. It is
the same bus drivers, the technicians, the mechanics that will also
still be employed and trained to use these new buses. Instead of job
losses, we are going to employ more people for the greater number of the
buses and it will make the city more beautiful and more comfortable for
all our workers.”
The Lagos State Governor, Ambode, also addressed the labour leader demand
on workers’ welfare, assured that as the State’s Internally Generated
Revenue (IGR) continues to increase, his administration would work out
modalities to improve the welfare of workers in line with his mantra of
all-inclusive governance.
The Governor said that his administration was ready to look into the
plight of pensioners as regards the pace of paying pension, assuring
that the process would be fast tracked immediately.
“Just like we have said, we have provided vehicles for the unions but
again it has not gone round and it has also not gone round to the
private sector unions, we will complete the whole scheme before the end
of the year,” he said.
The Governor said as part of the celebration of 50 years of the
State, his administration would provide a befitting State Secretariat
for the NLC, while government would also work on local and international
training for labour leaders to make them relevant to the growth of the
economy.
Governor Ambode also assured that the officers of the State Public
Service, who according to him, are the real drivers of the development
in the State, would continue to be equipped with the necessary
competencies and skills in order to deliver effective and efficient
service to the people.
Commending the choice of this year’s May Day celebration themed,
“Labour Relations in Economic Recession: An Appraisal,” the Governor
said the leadership of Labour unions had demonstrated a responsible
sense of stakeholding in the joint enterprise to improve the society and
leave lasting legacies for the generations to come through the creation
of sustainable wealth and value.
Besides, the Governor enjoined the organised labour to continue to
show understanding, while rightly insisting on the due and just
entitlements of their members, saying that any industrial unrest will
compound the challenges of economic recession.
“I wish to commend the example of Lagos State to the entire nation in
respect of industrial harmony. In Lagos State, both the government and
organised labour believe that negotiations are more democratic and
effective than unilateral impositions by the government or unilateral
demands by the workers,” he said.
While alluding to the fact that his administration would not have
been able to fulfill the electoral promises without the support of the
“most versatile, resilient and innovative Public Service in the nation”,
he noted that the immense contributions of all workers in the private
sector was also chiefly responsible for the pride of place that Lagos
occupies in our nation, in Africa and in the world at large.
Earlier, Comrades Adelakun and Ogunremi commended Governor Ambode for
his commitment to workers’ welfare and the determination with which he
had been transforming the State, describing the Governor as an
accomplished accounting professional, creative intellectual, skilled
planner and focused implementor.
The May Day Rally featured March pasts from various Labour Unions,
Trade Organisations and its Affiliates who trooped out enmasse despite
the heavy downpour and were excited to see the Governor celebrate the
day with them.
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