Awojide Hands Over, Lists Tenure Achievements

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-As Lagos NANNM Council Holds 9^th Delegates Conference

It was an exciting atmosphere at the Nurses’ House, NANNM Secretariat in Lagos on Tuesday, as the outgoing Chairman of National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) Lagos State Chapter, Comr. Olurotimi Julius Awojide, gave a commendable stewardship of his four-year tenure to delegates at the conference.

The 2-day 9^th Quadrennial State Delegates Conference, of NANNM’S State Council, witnessed election of new executives of the chapter, as well as hand over ceremony to the new crop of leadership to pilot the affairs of the association for the next four years.

Names of delegates who emerged at the polls to become executives of the new administration include: Comr. Blessing Isreal, chairman; Comr.  Mary Lateef- Yusuf, vice-chairman; Comr. Adeola Morolake, financial secretary; Comr. Taiye Uledor, treasurer; Comr.Adenike Akinla, P.R.O; Comr. Kayode, auditor I; and Com. Sanni Habeeb, auditor ii.

Speaking on his achievements for his tenure, Awojide appreciated all members of his administration, saying without mincing words, his administration enjoyed the maximum support of every nurse in the state, which explained the success attained by his leadership.

His words:”We took over from the caretaker committee in 2016, we made promises to our members on what we intended to achieve and the time has come to render account of our stewardship. To God be the glory, we did our best to move the association forward. This is because that the delivery of value to members is the fundamental objective of any democratically-elected administration”.

He forged ahead to highlight achievements of his tenure to include: Passage of Bill establishing Lagos State College of Nursing, Igando; Harmonisation of scheme of service of nurses; accountability; election of NANNM into NLC and JNC; honouring of NANNM's heroes; image laundering for nurses/war against quackery; new utility bus for nurses; new giant generators for NANNM House; uniform allowance for nurses; financial assistance to nurses in need; reversal of denial of promotion; mentoring of student nurses; capacity building; among others.

He however urged the new crop of leaders to press home for other pending needs of the association, which he could not achieve including: Upgrading of graduate nurses; central payment of uniform allowance; lateral conversion; domestication of internship programme in Lagos State for graduate nurses; promotion of nurses to directorate cadre; conflict resolution among nurses and nurse leaders; demoted apex nurse re-instead; resuscitation of elongated salary; employment of more nurses, and so on.

Speaking on the theme of the conference: “Employer-Employee Relationship and the Union”, the guest speaker, Mrs Remi Iherijika emphasised the need for the nurses’ union leaders to be proactive and reliable as employer-employee relationship is a conflict-laden relationship, requiring careful management.

She highlighted the qualities of a vibrant union to include strength, independence, dynamism, and being proactive, whose executives can look at employers’ eye-ball –to-eye-ball to discuss employees issues without losing focus.

She asked the leaders” What is the position of your union on the privatisation move of hospitals? If you fold your hands, in five years’ time, the story will change”.

Iherijika further tasked the delegates on the need to upgrade their knowledge regularly, saying the currency in unionism is knowledge, thus, they must acquire it daily.

The highpoint of the conference was the presentation of awards of excellence to the outgoing chairman, Awojide , and DSP Olatunji Disu.