…..NCSU PRESIDENCY: WHY SUNDAY ADELEYE OLUWOLE DESERVES TO LEAD US —Ademola
……Payment of Workers’ Salary Arrears will make me fulfilled — insists.
……In this exclusive Interview with SUNSHINETRUTH NEWS MAGAZINE on 12 January, 2022, Comrade Olapade Ademola, who the Ondo State Chairman of the Nigeria Civil Service Union, NCSU and the State Vice Chairman of the Joint Negotiating Council (JNC), shares his view on the historic emergence of Comrade Sunday Adeleye as the President of the Union and other critical issues affecting workers.
Can we know you and what have you been up to in your union?
I am Comrade Olapade Ademola Adedeji, Chairman Nigeria Civil Service Union.
We came on board in 2018 February precisely, since then we have been trying our best to our ability and before then, I have been in the union at the ministry level for at least 8 years before I came on board and that gives me the opportunity to know some things about the union and offered me another opportunity to understudy my predecessor (Comrade Sunday Adeleye Oluwole) apart from him being a friend but on labour level we are close to some extent. For the fact that I took over from him, I was able to manage or champion the cause of the Union to a large extent and to the glory of God, like I said in 2018 when we came on I inherited a lot of things positively and to the glory of God we are doing alot to touch lives of our members and improve the status of our union.
Are you so far fulfilled as the Chairman of your Union in about four years?
Yes, I will say I have so far fulfilled but one thing is important here, until we are able to get all our salaries (arrears of workers salaries), that is when I can say am 100% fulfilled; the reason why I am here as the sitting Chairman is to see to the welfare of my members and the welfare that entails regular salary, promotion and other advancement etc. And the areas of advancement and promotion, the Government is trying, my teeming followers would smile if government pay their salary arrears and they will be able to attend to various things at their homes, and I know God will do that for us soonest. Because they were happy that government could use bailout to offset two months and certain percentage of salaries during the festive period, but they are expecting more, like Oliver Twist, we will always want more from our employer (Ondo state government).
Has the percentage salaries payment in any way demoralized workers on their duty posts?
I must confess to you, there is no way such will not demoralise them but i can tell you that Ondo state workers are very committed to the development of our state and they will continue to put-in their best while praying for improve economic situation globally to enable government to meet our salary commitments. At least 90% of our members reasoned along with us (labour leaders) that we can’t be feeding them lies on the need to be taking percentage salary and financial situation in the country a d the state. We will continue to encourage them to do their work well and be in office as and when due.
What are your blueprints in impacting on NCSU in Ondo State?
Firstly, I am praying to God to help the State Government and to help the organized Labour to fight the cause of our teeming members to be able to get their salary as and when due, we are praying to God to help Government pay and not to owe arrears. If this sincere prayers are granted by God, then it will give me 100% fulfillment. Again, at the back of our Hall there (inside the NCSU State Secretariat, Oda road Akure), we have procured two plots of lands there, based on what is ground, we are planning to construct a building in form of Union’s Charlet. Already we have done the plan, it will about 28 rooms and if I am able to complete it, I am 100% fulfilled and by the grace of God we will deliver this as we are beginning with the foundation and other things.
Why is it that the labour in Ondo State are not thinking of using strike to press for the payment of salary arrears?
I must confess to you, let me thank the leadership of organised labour, the current leadership of organized labour in the state for their maturity and mutual understanding, because if there is no mutual understanding among them, I’m sure by now, there will be a lot of crisis. I want to say authoritatively here now that organized labour or unionism have gone beyond going on strike always. Strike has always been the last option but as at today, strike is no more fashionable like before, it can’t even work with the current economic situation we found ourselves. We must think of what comes in to the coffer of the Ondo state government, before we will be demanding full pay, I can say that government doesn’t have enough funds, though I’m not talking for the government but with what we have been seeing so far. I’ve been one of the union leaders that attend our salary meetings that we do on monthly basis after the FAAC allocations; so based on that record, it’s not possible for us to strike. All of us are aware of the Covid-19, it’s a big problem, a major challenge, even to the federal government and the whole world, that is why we must reason along with the government.
Still on your union, we are aware that your chapter here, the Ondo state branch has produced National President of NCSU in person of Comrade Oluwole Adeleye Sunday, can you speak on this achievement?
Let me first of all thank God that this thing is happening during my own tenure. It has been long that this kind of opportunity has been eluding Ondo state, it’s not easy to bring something like this to Ondo state and I want to say, it’s because of the person involved, the qualities of the person (Comrade Oluwole Adeleye) involved, because he has been there for quite a long time, he was the NCSU chairman of Ondo state council for nine years, when he was serving as the chairman, he was the Secretary of the council of states of our Union. So, he was able to move round the country, he built a relationship with different kind of people in Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western parts of the country, we love him so much and we believe in his capacity, we believe in his ability and that is why he was elected the NCSU Deputy President, nobody contested against him and he waited for his time and his time has surely come now. I want to tell you, everyone of us in the Northern part, Southern and Western part, all of us are looking forward to that day, January 25th for him to take the mantle of leadership, it is going to be a big day for everyone of us in Ondo state and my union at large because Oluwole Sunday has paid his dues and by the grace of God, we pray for a successful tenure for him.
Can we say that this is indeed a honor to Ondo State and Southwest to produce the union’s National President?
Yes, it is an honor to Ondo state and the Southwest because of the roles he has played so far; not that we just wake up one day and say let’s give it to him but he had played certain roles before and he’s still playing the roles, he bridges some major gaps in our union, that is why the grace was given to him to lead the union.
What is your advice for the new National President of NCSU (Sunday Adeleye)?
My advice is very simple, though, he’s a man of his words, he’s a good friend of mine, we’ve been together for quiet a long time, so I know what he can do, I can vouch for him that he’s not going there for selfish interest but for general interest of our members. He should continue with his good habit because I’m sure this is not the first time he will be tested with power, he was the Ondo State JNC Chairman for two terms, currently, he’s also the Ondo state NLC Chairman and my union, he’s currently the Deputy President. So I’m sure and I believe in him and I know that he will maintain that status of high integrity; he should continue with his attitude, he should ensure that he brings everyone of us together, every union has it’s own peculiarity, that alone will even give him more privilege and support from everyone of us.
NLC and organized labour in Nigeria are warming up for showdown with the federal government over plan to remove fuel subsidy, what is your take and how do you think the country can get out of this quagmire?
The issue of NLC, I must say, that organised labour at national level needs to brace up, a lot of things has happened in the past, there was a time they called for strike overnight, they will change it again, so this one now, they need to brace up, there is a need for NLC President to show to all of us, to Nigerians that the NLC is the last hope of the common man because the issue of fuel subsidy removal is going to affect every sector.
As at today, we are talking of unpaid/percentage salaries, even when the salary is being paid, things are very cost and money to buy and people are suffering, government should forget about the policy in the interest of the common people are finding it difficult to feed due to economic hardship. So, it’s better for NLC at the national level to brace up to carry everybody along and to fight the cause of everybody so that the federal government will not even hike pump price unnecessarily.
Way forward, people have been talking about making refineries working before fuel subsidy removal by the federal government?
It’s very unfortunate that the federal government is yet to do anything about refinery, despite promises by the present administration, because before the present administration came on board, I have the video on my phone where they said that there’s nothing like subsidy, they said within two or three years, they will make all refineries functioning, they will put the refineries in good shape, as at today as I speak with you, it’s quiet unfortunate that the federal government is yet to do anything about it, instead of that, we learnt that one is being built in a neighbouring African country. This is not good enough for our country, Nigeria is the biggest and largest economy, the only oil producing country without a functioning refinery. But we still pray, we still beg the federal government, they can still do something about it, our refineries must be functional, at least three, so that all of us in Nigeria will be happy again and the issue of fuel subsidy will die naturally.
