By – Memoye Oghu
The Rivers State council of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has got a new Executive Committee to pilot its affairs for the next three years.
The new executive officers headed by Comrade Ikechukwu Onyefuru from the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), an affiliate of the Congress were elected recently at the Nigeria Airforce Officers Wives Association hall in Port Harcourt, capital of Rivers state, in an election supervised by National General Secretary of the Congress who also represented TUC national president, Comrade Osifo.
In his acceptance speech, Comrade Onyefuru promised to run an inclusive administration that would be open to criticisms and advices from all members, even as he thanked all contestants during the election for their understanding that led to a rancour free exercise.
In a chat with newsmen shortly after the election, he said, “What we’re going to do differently is that we’re going to wear learners mindset. When we wear learners mindset, it helps us to understand what our members in Rivers State and Nigeria at large need. And they would be alligned with the TUC at the national.
“We’ll continue to protect the interests of our workers to the extent of ensuring that jobs of our members are protected and we’ll raise the interests of our members in terms of welfare is improved upon. We’re going to do that differently wearing that learners mindset, so that working with that, God will also help us to collaborate with the government.
“If you observe, in Rivers state, Governor Nyesom Wike has done very well in terms of providing infrastructure, in terms of attracting investors back to Rivers state because at a point investors were leaving the state. But today, we’re happy that the governor is doing a very good job by putting infrastructure in place, creating new job opportunities where our members will work.
“Attracting investors who will come to Rivers state and invest, thereby creating job opportunities for our members in Rivers state. So, we’ll ensure we maintain good relationship with the government of Rivers State and all the captains of industry to ensure that we deliver value to our members.
“We’ll also continue to do the needful by participating in the formulation of policies and initiatives that’ll help to improve the lots of Nigerians as a matter of interest.”