The Council Management of Egbe-Idimu LDCA in conjunction with National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), gathered recently to hold its first workers forum cum interactive session at the council secretariat Isheri Olofin. It was first of its kind in the history of Egbe –Idimu Council as the branch NULGE chairman of the Egbe-Idimu LCDA Comrade Olayinka Simeon Olugbenga expressed a great delight and gratitude to God for making the workers forum a reality. Addressing the LCDA workers, he said ”the current administration is not just bringing its workers together for the sake of doing so, rather what the Egbe-Idimu LCDA is doing is to bring to notice the happenings and good news of the council when there is one.” Explaining the importance of the Workers Forum, Comrade Olayinka made it clear that ”this workers forum is meant to acquaint the lead by the leaders what the leadership is doing to better their lots and consult widely with the followers on their perception about the way and manner their affairs are being run by their leaders”. The event also afforded IBTC pension fund manager’s team led by Gbeke Solanke to give a holistic lecture on the need for workers to have pension scheme plan for the benefit of their retirement. First Bank Plc was there as well to highlight the needs of their product with Lagos State Government Blood Transfusion Committee educating the workers on the important of donating blood, and other companies who were also at present to highlight the importance and benefits of their products.
The council Manager Mrs Morenike Okwuonu enjoined the workers to embrace their future retirement through proper pension savings plan without tears so as to avoid had I known syndrome. She also pleaded with the workers to stop the high rate of absenteeism as she observed that the secretariat is usually empty by noon and urges them to come forward to her on issues bothering them as regards to work. The floor was opened for comments, questions and observations from the staff who took the opportunity to express their feelings and respond to the reasons behind the high rate of absenteeism which is overcrowded office, insufficient power supply , lack of adequate staff welfare when compare with other LCDAs. The council Manager did not fail to inform the workers that effective from May 26, there will be various training for different cadre of workers.
The vice Chairman, Hon. Kunle Sanyaolu Olowoopejo on behalf of the Executive Chairman Alhaji W A Bello also used the opportunity to counsel the workers on the need of effective hard work and warned them to abstain from any fraudulent related issues as the council will only be able to provide adequate welfare package if all the revenue heads perform at its optimum capacity, adding that the chairman is not expected to bring money from his personal pocket to run the council but by improved and accountable Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
The NULGE president Comrade Lasisi Ayinde Akinsanya was also at the event to praise the workers on their large turnout. He thanked the council management for creating such avenue to reach out to the entire staff and commended her for her good work.
Expressing his joy, he said, ‘I am very optimistic that change has come to Egbe Idimu LCDA.’ And without much hesitation he condemned the poor manner of dressing of some workers and encouraged them to always be neat and smart to work. On the issue of working conditions, he assured the workers that the Chairman through his Vice and the council manager have promised to move swiftly to make the environment more conducive than what is obtained today. He also emphasised on the need for every worker to put his or her best in their various duties and eschew frauds and other irregularities as the council will only offer what it cannot afford, hence the more revenue generated the better the welfare package.