The new President of the Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government-Owned Companies (SSASCGOC), Maritime branch, Comrade Akinola Bodunde has described the welfare and well being of members as non-negotiable.
Comrade Bodunde gave the assurance shortly after his election during the 2nd Delegates Conference of the Union in Abuja.
While expressing his gratitude to all members of SSASCGOC, Maritime branch, for the confidence reposed in him, he promised to sustain the cardinal virtues which the Union is renowned for.
He reiterated that members’ welfare will continue to dominate a top spot in his administration just as he assured that an enabling environment would be created for the entire Maritime Labour Group to effectively make their contributions.
The new Boss pledged to review the operations of the Union so as to possibly identify areas of low performance with a view to proffering realistic solutions.
Speaking earlier during his Opening Speech, the President General, Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government-Owned Companies (SSASCGOC), Surajudeen Alakija emphasized the need for members to work collaboratively for the onward growth of the Union.
” Like I told the Delegates during my opening speech, we are one big family so an election should not divide us. Whoever God chooses for us today, we must all work with him and we must all accept him.
“It’s only God that gives power to whoever He wishes to give power to. So anybody that’s elected today, we should all be willing to work with him,” the Boss Advised.
For his part, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mohammed Bello-Koko underscored the essence of negotiation at all times, adding that the NPA is people-sensitive.
He was represented by the General Manager, Human Resources, NPA, Ahmad Umar.
“This conference is done every four years and so it’s done for the Union to elect its executives every four years.
” I advise the incoming Executive members to toe the parh of dialogue with the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
“It’s a symbiotic relationship between Management and the Unions. There are agitations of course where Union members would want to have one thing or the other from the Management.
“It is not for the Union to force or to arm twist Management. It is for them to come to the table with their own requests and for Management to sit down with them to negotiate on its own terms as well as their own terms.
“They should learn to negotiate very well. They should learn to respect the views and opinions of Management. The Nigerian Ports Authority is a considerate national asset which is always ready to look into the demands of the Union based on the availability of resources to the Authority,” he explained
The outgone president of SSASCGOC, Maritime Branch, Comrade Abdullahi Abubakar remarked that the Association enjoyed a meteoric rise in success during his tenure while also hopeful things would get better with his successors.
“We have a lot of legacy and as you can see both the past leaders, the current leaders and even our oppositions – whom four years ago were here against us – are all here and we are all happy together.
“The very best legacy is to make sure that we choose the best people to wear our shoes.
“Without considering tribe or faith, we look at who is going to give his utmost, who is ready to sacrifice for the Union.
“Secondly, transparency is a vital tool and any leader should ensure that everybody is carried along.
“The Executive should ensure togetherness and Unity because United we stand, divided we fall. If there is Unity, yhey can be able to have a team work.
“I believe this is one of the best Union regimes we have ever had in the Nigerian Ports Authority. You heard it from our past leaders, you heard it from our past management and they habe all corroborated one and same thing. Even the Journalists working with us can also testify to the legacy we have left behind,” Comrade Abubakar enthused.
SSASCGOC is an affiliate of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) and had a good representation at the event with the likes of the President General and other top members of the Congress in attendance.
