ABEOKUTA – Members of Academic Staff Union Of Secondary Schools (ASUSS) in Ogun State at the early hours of Friday, elected Mr. Felix Oluwaseun Agbesanwa as Chairman.
Agbensanwa, a former Remo branch chairman of the Association defeated Mr. Banjo Joseph the immediate past Secretary of the association in a keenly contested election held at the ASUSS hall, Leme, Abeokuta, Ogun state.
Agbesanwa defeated his stiff opponent with 103 votes against 94 recorded by Mr. Banjo.
Other members of the executives are; Oluseyi Akeem Bankole (Secretary), Comrade Aina (PRO), Dada Adebayo (Asst. Secretary), Afolabi Bola (Treasurer), Osunsanwo Samuel (Chief Publicity Secretary), Amusan Olufemi (Fin. Sec), Oluwatoyin Amuda (Auditor I).
Others are: Adegbite Waheed Adeola (Deputy Chairman), Stanley Odiah (Vice Chairman 1), Bakare Yusuf (Vice Chairman 2) and Akande Adejoju as Vice Chairman 3.
In another development, Comrade Onasanya emerged the State Welfare for Ijebu division, Com. Akinfenwa, state Welfare -Remo, Ayannuga Olufemi as State Welfare Egba division, while Com. Kazeem Obipehin emerged as State Social Secretary.
State Internal Auditor 3 is Com. Olaitan, State Internal Auditor 2 is Com. Odusina Olusola.
In his acceptance speech, the newly elected Chairman, promised to reconfigure the Union to the envy and admiration of everyone within and outside of its fold.
He emphasized that, the union will engage, interact, discuss, negotiate, interface, consult, and evolve more efficient and effective means of relating with their employers for the good of their colleagues before resorting to confrontation as the last option.
He noted that, the association shall deploy all legal and constitutional means of getting for her members rights, privileges and benefits that have been unjustly delayed and nearly denied them by successive administrations in the state.
He said ASUSS will continue to hold the state government accountable and responsive to the welfare of his members.
He added that, the association will remain grateful to the government when its release funds for workers promotions, leave allowances, gratuities and other numerous outstanding payments which the organized labour in the state had earlier submitted.
He urged Governor Dapo Abiodun to prioritize the immediate employment of more hands to make up for the inadequate workforce as appropriate in various Secondary Schools in the state.
He said the governor should conduct and release of letters of promotion exercises and release of seven years of unpaid leave allowances for secondary school teachers.
“The payments of pension and gratuities to our senior citizens whose daily life is made worse by such delay, and the daily increasing cost of living in the country. Our aged retirees need Government’s attention now while they are still breathing.
“The remission of our Contributive Pension funds, both ours and the Government counterpart funds have not been remitted to the appropriate Pension Fund Administrator in the last eight years.
“Distinguished Delegates, we are not unaware of the dwindling fortunes of Government especially as it has been made more worse by the poor economic conditions and the fall in price of Oil at the labour market which in turn has affected the monthly allocation from the Federal Government; the effects of inflation and the negative impact of drop in our Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“However, it will be tantamount to diversion of workers’ rights to tie the reasons for our suffering to the excuses highlighted above.
“We are poised to continue to reconfigure the Union to the envy and admiration of everyone within and outside of its fold.
“Trade Unionism in the 21st century has gone beyond those days when labour activists were inside trenches as if they were guerrilla warlords. It is also no longer fashionable to bang the table in an attempt to make our employers listen to us.
“Labour Unionists now engage, interact, discuss, negotiate, interface, consult, and evolve more efficient and effective means of relating with their employers for the good of their colleagues before resorting to confrontation as the last option. I therefore urge you all to be willing, ready and able to tag along with me as we journey through this history-making walk to emancipate our colleagues from the shackles of unwholesome, unhealthy and degrading practices and policies by our employers, both in the public.
“We shall deploy all legal and constitutional means of getting for our people all rights, privileges and benefits that have been unjustly delayed and nearly denied them by successive administrations in the state.
“To our amiable, level-headed State Governor, His Excellency, Prince Dapo Abiodun mfr, and his progressive government, our profound gratitude also goes to him and his government for creating a working and conducive environment for labour unions to operate in our dear state. We are aware that there is no government across the globe that can be best described as being benevolent towards workers.”
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