Special Adviser to the Governor of Kogi State on Labour Matters »

The Workplace Security Campaign for Tinubu/Ododo 2027 has commenced in Kogi Central Senatorial District, with the Special Adviser to the Kogi State Governor on Labour Matters, Hon. (Comrade) Onuh Edoka, calling on workers to remain security-conscious and make informed decisions that will protect their jobs and welfare ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The campaign, an initiative of the Special Adviser, is designed to sensitise local government workers on the importance of workplace security, vigilance and preparedness, while also drawing attention to the need for continuity in government policies and programmes that directly affect the workforce.

Speaking to workers in Okene Local Government Area, Comrade Edoka said the sensitisation became necessary in view of the need to consolidate the gains recorded by the administrations of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the federal level and Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo in Kogi State.

He emphasised that Governor Ododo had placed workers’ welfare at the centre of his administration, arguing that the governor’s record provided a strong basis for workers to support his re-election.

According to him, the Ododo administration was among the first state administrations to implement the current minimum wage and subsequently go beyond the minimum requirement, while ensuring the payment of full salaries to local government workers.

He also listed the implementation of full hazard allowances for doctors and other health workers, the provision of health insurance coverage for workers and pensioners, promotion and the payment of promotion arrears, leave bonus, as well as the recent provision of three buses for organised labour unions—the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Joint Negotiating Council (JNC)—as some of the administration’s major interventions among others.

Comrade Edoka said the initiatives had contributed significantly to creating a conducive environment for workers and fostering industrial harmony across the state.

He urged local government workers to be properly guided in their political choices and resist what he described as “politics of mischief”, stressing that workers should consider policies and programmes that directly affect their welfare and job security.

“It is important to say that security is a collective responsibility, either in the workplace or beyond. Government is committed to providing the leadership and resources, but cannot do it alone.
“The political will is the foundation of all security progress. Governor Ododo is ready for all-round protection of the people and property. The workers’ job is not an exception,” Comrade Edoka stated.

The Special Adviser expressed appreciation to the workers for the warm reception accorded him and his team, promising that their genuine concerns and observations would be given due attention.

Also speaking, the Senior Technical Advisor to the Governor on Urban Development, Comrade Chief Godwin Edime, PhD, urged workers to support the re-election of Governor Ododo and President Tinubu, describing continuity as essential to sustaining the policies and programmes currently benefiting the workforce.

The Kogi State Council Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Gabriel Amari, said the NLC’s support for the sensitisation campaign was based on what he described as the verifiable achievements of the Ododo administration.

Comrade Amari noted that the governor had demonstrated commitment to workers’ welfare by taking positive steps without necessarily waiting for demands from organised labour.
He urged workers to continue to support an administration that, in his assessment, had not disappointed them, stressing the importance of maintaining the existing relationship between government and labour.

The NULGE Chairman of Okene Local Government, Comrade Yakubu Ishaq, assured the visiting team that the workforce would intensify sensitisation efforts among workers to ensure the objectives of the campaign were achieved.

At Ogori-Magongo Local Government Area, the NULGE Chairman, Comrade Alabi Shole, commended Comrade Edoka and his team for the initiative, describing the visit as unprecedented and timely.

Earlier, the Vice Chairman of Ogori-Magongo Local Government, Mr Williams Also, who received the delegation, described organised labour as a dependable ally in every democracy, noting the importance of continued engagement between labour and government.

Chairmen of other industrial unions and some political appointees were also part of the campaign team.

The sensitisation programme was held under the theme: “Workplace Security: Protection, Sensitisation and Preparedness Against Banditry and Kidnapping.”