The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in Ondo State has vowed to resist the state government’s planned demolition of staff quarters in Alagbaka, Akure.
State NLC Chairman, Comrade Ademola Olapade, made the declaration during the inauguration of new executive members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ondo State Council, held on Wednesday in Akure.
Leke Adegbite and Meshack Olaoluwa were re-elected unopposed as Chairman and Secretary of the Council, respectively.
Olapade warned that demolishing the staff quarters under the state’s urban renewal project could strain relations between the government and organised labour. He noted that no consultations had been held between labour unions and the state authorities regarding the demolition of the residential estate.
“Government must do everything possible to allow our members remain in the quarters. The estate houses more than 156 units, with over 600 residents. You cannot simply give people a week or a month to vacate their homes; a proper, humane alternative must be provided,” he said.
“Organised labour in Ondo State will strongly resist any attempt by the government to render the occupants of Alagbaka staff quarters homeless.”
Olapade also urged the new NUJ leadership to protect the interests of its members and serve as a voice for the voiceless.
Responding, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Ebenezer Adeniyan, said the government’s decision to regenerate the Government Reservation Area (GRA), including Alagbaka, aimed to beautify and modernise the state capital.
“The Alagbaka staff quarters is a 40-year-old estate requiring renovation. The government house renovation began last year, so this initiative is not new. Most of the structures are dilapidated and poorly maintained. In fact, about 70 percent of the current occupants are not even the intended beneficiaries – the quarters were designed for low-income earners,” he said.
Adeniyan assured that affected residents would be compensated and urged labour leaders to engage the government constructively rather than resist the policy.
He also congratulated the re-elected NUJ executives and acknowledged the “robust relationship” between the state government and the union.
In his acceptance speech, NUJ Chairman Adegbite expressed gratitude and pledged to consolidate on previous achievements, especially in the area of member capacity development.
