BENIN CITY – The Edo State Head of Service, Dr. Anthony Okungbowa, has said pledged the state government determination to make Edo a model of labour relations in Nigeria.
Okungbowa made the remark when he received members of the Nigeria Union of Reportorial, Secretarial, Data Processors and Allied Workers (NUPSTRAW), who paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House, Benin City.
The Edo State chapter of the union will host the 2025 South-South and South-East Conference of NUPSTRAW.
The HOS recalled his own background in labour struggles, having led his association for eight years, which, he said, shaped his approach to engaging organised labour.
“It is easier for me to relate to labour demands because they are aimed at helping you do your jobs better. When government concedes to such requests, productivity improves and everyone benefits. Our goal is to raise the bar so high that Edo becomes a cynosure of all eyes in labour relations,” he said.
He emphasised the indispensability of secretarial staff, noting that their work goes far beyond typing. “Office management is the business of a secretary and this cadre must never go extinct.
“The conversion of trained assistants is already on the front burner and will commence once the Civil Service Commission is inaugurated,” he added.
Zonal President of NUPSTRAW, Comrade Festus Nwoye, commended the state government’s hospitality and praised its cordial relationship with workers, citing the recent upward review of the minimum wage.
Former Zonal Chairperson and current First National Vice President, Comrade Paulina Isaac, urged professionalism in secretarial practice and warned against allowing untrained persons to take over the service.
“The Secretariat is one area the service cannot do without. Confidentiality, accuracy and professionalism are at the heart of what we do. Our interests must be protected,” she said.
The Edo State Chairman of NUPSTRAW, Comrade Kingsley Ireotoi, in his vote of thanks, lauded the HOS for hosting the delegates.
