WELCOME ADDRESS BY COMRADE HELEN JAJA AT 7TH QUADRENNIAL NATIONAL CONFERENCE
- Category: News
- Date 26-10-2022
WELCOME ADDRESS BY COMRADE HELEN JAJA, NATIONAL PRESIDENT, NATIONAL UNION OF HOTELS AND PERSONAL SERVICES WORKERS AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE 7TH QUADRENNIAL NATIONAL DELEGATES’ CONFERENCE ON 26TH OCTOBER, 2022 AT ORCHID HOTEL & EVENT CENTRE, ASABA; DELTA STATE.
Your Excellency, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, the Executive Governor of Delta State
The President, Nigeria Labour Congress - Comrade Ayuba Wabba, mni;
All Delta State Cabinet & Security Council Members here present
The Registrar of Trade Unions
The President and Executive Secretary of Hotels and Personal Services Employers’ Association
Chief Executives and Representatives of Employers’ in the Hospitality, Catering, Tourism, Restaurant and Surveillance Industry here present
National Administrative Council Members of Congress here present
Presidents and General Secretaries of Industrial Unions and Associations here present
National Officers of Industrial Unions here present
National Executive Council Members of National Union of Hotels and Personal Services Workers here present
Members of State Administrative and Executive Councils of Congress Delta State here present
Past Leaders, Veterans and Friends of Labour here present
Distinguished Invited Guests
Our Esteemed Delegates
Gentlemen and Ladies of the Press
Ladies and Gentlemen
With heart full of gratitude to God Almighty that has made it possible for us all to gather here today, I join the Delta State Council Chairperson and the National Executive Council of our great Union to welcome you all to our 7th Quadrennial National Delegates’ Conference holding today 26th October, 2022 at the Conference Hall of Orchid Hotel, Asaba; Delta State.
Ladies and gentlemen, I think it will not be out of place, to recognize and appreciate the monumental infrastructural development executed by the Governor Ifeanyi Okowa led administration that has earned His Excellency the nomination as the Vice Presidential candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party. Your desire to affect and change the life of all Deltans positively through sustainable service delivery for the common good of all is worthy of emulation. I join all my Colleagues to wish you success in your next national assignment as you sign off as the Executive Governor of Delta State on 29th May, 2023.
My special salute to all our distinguished invited guests including the Registrar of Trade Unions, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, our Employers’ Association President and Executive Secretary, Management and Employers Representatives in our midst as well as all Delegates, Staff and Members for their commitment towards building a strong and virile trade union despite all the challenges encountered during the past four years.Â
THEME OF THE CONFERENCE: It is very obvious that, the period between the 6th Quadrennial National Delegates’ Conference in 2018 and now has been very daunting and challenging to the national economy and most especially the Hospitality, Catering and Tourism Sector due to the increasing wave of insecurity engineered by banditry, kidnapping for ransom, unrelenting attacks by insurgents across the country and the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020. All these factors informed the theme of the Conference: ADDRESSING THE TWIN CHALLENGES OF NATIONAL INSECURITY AND COVID-19 ON SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTIVITY IN THE HOSPITALITY, TOURISM AND CATERING INDUSTRY IN NIGERIA. These twin problems have made business climate unbearable most especially in our sector.
PROGRESS REPORT FROM THE LAST CONFERENCEÂ
Despite the aforementioned challenges, we have continued to deliver on our mandate to Members, Staff and the Society. Some of the progressive imprint we made during this period include but not limited to:
Our hardworking and amiable General Secretary – Comrade Dr. Leke Success JP was re-elected as Member of the Presidential Council of the World Federation of Trade Unions {WFTU} during its 18th World Congress held in Rome, Italy from 6th to 8th May, 2022.
Collective Bargaining Agreement of Member Companies has continued to receive the desired attention through constructive engagements of our social partners in the Industry.    Â
In collaboration with UJEENGO Global Community International, Canada – we hosted a capacity building training program in February 2020 before the outbreak of COVID-19, for our leaders and organizers with two Consultants from Canada in attendance.Â
As a prelude to this Conference and premised on the provisions of the Union Constitution, we held the State Council elections in all the thirty six states and the Federal Capital Territory from 15th to 26th July, 2022 successfully without rancour or crisis of any form with seven women elected as either State Council Chairperson or Secretary. For us, Women are great and capable.
Within the lean available resources, we were able to give the national secretariat of the union a face lift while efforts are in top gear to convert the Aluta Relaxation & Event to a Guest House with fifteen rooms to kick start the project.
Peaceful and successful conduct of the 3rd Conference of the Union National Women Commission which took place yesterday with new leaders elected.
We have also been consistent in holding union organs’ meetings as prescribed by the union constitution.
THE ENERGY CRISIS AND OUR SECTOR
The Nigeria energy crisis refers to the ongoing failure of the Nigeria power sector to provide adequate electricity supply to domestic households and industrial producers despite being blessed with huge deposits of coal, oil and gas.
This constant power outages have crippled economic activities including agricultural, mining, manufacturing and industrial sectors thereby impeding or slowing down economic development.
Comrades, Ladies and gentlemen, Nigerians will appreciate and grateful to any government that can fix the epileptic power supply which holds the key to our national economic development. We have been assured repeatedly that the current privatization of the power sector will end inconsistent power supply however the opposite seems the case now. What we needed is not empty promises but a declaration of national emergency in power sector that will put all stakeholders on their toes to end this national disgrace and embarrassment.
APPRECIATION
On behalf of my team, I appreciate the robust support and constructive engagement of our social partners in the Industry – the Employers’ Association, which has made it possible for us to jointly weathered the storm of the past four years. We also congratulate the leadership of the Employers’ Association as it reconstitutes its Executive Committee.
I will fail in my duty if I refuse to pay glowing compliments to staff of the union under the leadership of my amiable brother – Comrade Dr. Leke Success, JP. You have all been wonderful and resourceful in oiling our wheel of progress that has made it possible for the union to still be able to stand on its feet despite the bash we received from the pandemic. I am eternally grateful to you all.
I thank you all for honouring us with your presence.
Long live National Union of Hotels and Personal Services Workers
Long live the Nigeria Labour Congress
Long live Delta State
Long live Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Aluta Continua!!!!!!