Lagos Trade Unions, Bakers Endorse Ambode

•Ambode

Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos state

Kazeem Ugbodaga

The Lagos State Joint Public Service Negotiating Council, JNC, the umbrella body of all civil servants in Lagos State, as well as bakers in the state under the auspices of Association of Master Bakers And Caterers of Nigeria, have endorsed the All Progressives Congress, APC, Lagos State governorship candidate, Akinwunmi Ambode.

JNC, at a news conference in Ikeja, Lagos, southwest Nigeria on Wednesday, urged all civil servants in the state to vote for Ambode for continuity.

Chairman, JNC, Lagos State, Comrade Femi Oyenubi said the council advised workers to go out on Saturday to exercise their voting rights for the candidate of their choice, but quickly added that they should keep faith with the present administration in its efforts to transform and take the state to the next level.

According to him, it is only in continuity that the plight of the public servants already on the table of the government could be well addressed.

Oyenubi also said that at the just concluded meeting of JNC on Wednesday, the council resolved that the protracted negotiation on the step restoration for civil servants had been put to rest as the state government had agreed to correct the error observed by the council in the implementation of the new salary structure as soon as possible.

“The council wishes to note the misinformation of the consolidated salary structure with the harmonised salary structure where the leave bonus is not paid en-bloc as it was in harmonised salary structure is being addressed with an assurance from the state government to revert to the old order.

“The council hereby categorically states that the State Civil/Public Service requested for consolidated salary structure as it was effected by the Federal Government which has more benefits than the harmonised salary structure in which leave bonus and other allowances are embedded,” he said.

•Akinwunmi Ambode
•Akinwunmi Ambode

He said the union had an agreement with the government that there shall be upward review of workers’ salary every three years as negotiation was ongoing, adding that the council noted the unwavering commitment of the state government to the agreement reached with the labour leaders not to retrench workers in the state under whatever condition and circumstances.

“The council therefore wishes to advise that the agitation for enhanced conditions of service and improved welfare package should not be used as a political campaign by any political party as the council is not a political body,” he stated.

Speaking, Chairman, Trade Union Congress, TUC, Lagos State, Comrade Kazeem Akeem, said the JNC decided to support the APC because the party had performed creditably well in Lagos, adding that there had not been job loss since Governor Babatunde Fashola took over power, which is a reason to galvanise support for the party.

Meanwhile, bakers in Lagos State, under the auspices of Association of Master Bakers And Caterers of Nigeria, have also thrown their weight behind Ambode.

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At a forum held on Wednesday, the Lagos State executive members of the association with other master bakers across the 20 local governments in the state at the secretariat unilaterally endorsed Ambode as their preferred candidate for the gubernatorial election on Saturday.

Speaking at the forum, Prince Jacob Adejorin, Chairman, Lagos State branch, said having considered Ambode’s antecedents, actions, utterances, and disposition since his emergence as the governorship candidate of APC, the association came to a conclusion that he deserves their votes.

Adejorin said:: “Our relationship with the Lagos State government dates back to the era of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. Alignment with the party at the centre is the best for Lagos State at this time in order to consolidate its position as the leading and largest business centre in Nigeria and indeed in Africa.”

The chairman added that the association has no doubt that Lagos State under Ambode will be a delight to investors.

The association, however, appealed to the incoming government to re-visit the Bakers Youth Empowerment Scheme kick-started by Fashola’s administration, saying the empowerment scheme would alleviate the plight of bakers in the state.

Also, community leaders in Ojokoro Local Council Development Area of Lagos State, on Wednesday pledged to support the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Akinwunmi Ambode.

At a parley held at the CDC Hall, Ojokoro, community leaders, traditional rulers and youth leaders pledged to drum support for Ambode and ensure peaceful conduct of election in the council area.

Chairman of the Community Development Committee (CDC), Alhaji Azeez Amusat, enjoined residents and community leaders to reciprocate the outstanding infrastructure development of the council area by the Lagos State government by voting for Ambode on Saturday..

Amusat said:  “Ojokoro has enjoyed unprecedented growth and development under the present administration in Lagos State, and we cannot afford to withdraw our support for the APC-led government in the state.”

Former chairman of Ojokoro LCDA, Benjamin Olabinjo, appealed to the community leaders to mobilise support for Ambode, whose “impeccable character, outstanding qualities and enviable career in public service is what it required to move Lagos to the next level.”

Olabinjo added: “We have initiated this forum because of the influence of community leaders and traditional authority in the society. This gathering is necessary because Ojokoro has benefitted immensely from APC government in this state.

“Now that the governorship election is around the corner, we have to close ranks in order to ensure victory for the standard bearer of our great party, Mr Ambode. Lagos State should not be left in the care of a disorganised opposition party because of its anti-masses policies”.

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