Ahead of the next Saturday’s governorship election, the Association of People Living with Disability in Ogun State, has endorsed Governor Dapo Abiodun for a second term.

Speaking on behalf of the association, the state chairman, Dr Michael Ebornor, who commended the governor for looking out for his members during the COVID-19 pandemic, acknowledged him for the rehabilitation work currently going on at their secretariat.

He further commended the governor for adopting an inclusive government, expressing the association’s belief in the leadership qualities of Governor Abiodun.

Ebomor, while calling on the state government to capture the people living with disability in the Ogun State Health Insurance Scheme, asked for the empowerment of some of their members with special vocational skills.

He noted that the people living with disability need empathy and not sympathy, pointing out that they would give the governor 100% support during the governorship and House of Assembly elections.

In his response, Governor Abiodun, commended members of the association for brushing up their skills so as to be relevant in the society and disclosed that he would appoint a Special Assistant on the People Living with Disability.

He added that the association would be provided with a bus to help the association with the movement of its members.

The governor, however, called on members of the association to go all out on the 18th of March and vote for candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) all through.

In a related development, the Organized Labour in the state has also thrown its weight behind the reelection bid of Governor Abiodun.

Leading the new state executive members of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Ogun State chapter, the National Treasurer of the NLC and the President, Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Akeem Ambali, on courtesy visit to the governor at his Iperu-Remo residence, lauded the state government for its workers friendly policies, declaring Ogun NLC was solidly behind Abiodun.

He noted that the NLC, as partners in progress, it was imperative for labour leaders to show solidarity and chart a course with the government in power.

Ambali commended the governor for the giant strides recorded in all sectors of the state economy, assuring him of the workers’ support in the forthcoming governorship and House of Assembly elections.

The newly elected chairman of Ogun NLC, Comrade Hameed Benco, said that the present administration has achieved greatly in education, health, agriculture, housing and in labour matters, describing the governor as a promise keeper.

Benco lauded the state government for being the second highest minimum wage paying state in the country, thanking it for commencing payment of outstanding leave bonuses, promotions, upgrading of hazard allowance for medical workers,.among others.

The Labour leader also appreciated the state government for increasing the quarterly payment for Pensioners from N600m to N1bn, saying it would go a long way in fast tracking the offsetting of the arrears to pensioners.

While pledging the workers support for the governor’s re-election bid, Benco called for the meeting of labour and the state government to review the various agreements reached in the past with a view to appraising their performance.

On his part, the State Chairman, Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Comrade Olatunji Ayuba, noted the revival of local government administrations in the state which he said are complementing the state government by responding to the needs of the people.

In his response, Governor Abiodun revealed that his administration inherited N86b pension arrears and has been paying N600m quarterly, but recently increased it to N1b, assuring that a substantial amount would be paid when the Federal Government offsets debt owed Ogun.

“I don’t think any administration has had it so well. Without you, we could not have achieved so much. In the last three years and nine months, there has been a cordial relationship between labour and government and the labour has been so supportive.

“When we assumed office, I made a promise to be fair, just, equitable, accountable, responsible and to obey the rule of law. I also promised not to develop any part of this state to the detriment of others. I promised to complete abandoned projects that have a director impact on our people.

“We have kept faith with regular payment of salaries and allowances. We have paid hazard allowances to our health workers, we have engaged more teachers through the OgunTeach scheme”, the governor enumerated.

He commended the labour leaders for maintaining a crisis free relationship with the government, stating that, that has enabled government to focus on implementing its policies and programmes as encapsulated in the ISEYA Agenda.

Governor Abiodun thanked the NLC for supporting the APC candidates by voting massively for them at the last elections, calling on the leaders of the union to impress it on their members to repeat the same during the governorship and House of Assembly elections on the 18 of March.