Comr Hamza NUMW President Re-elected And 15 Others Emerge In Peacefully Conducted Election

 From Babangida Bisallah, Abuja

Comr Hamza Muhammad delivered the acceptance speech on behalf of the 2022/2026 National Executives of the Union, on Saturday, in Abuja.

As Women Leader advocates inclusiveness in the mining business.

In a peacefully conducted election that involved over five hundred and sixty National Delegates drawn from public and private sectors of mining establishments in 36 states of the Federation including the FCT, the Nigerian Union of Mines Workers on Saturday, elected a sixteen-member National Executive Council to pilot the affairs of the union for 2022/2026 administrative session. The elections were held at Grange Hill Hotel, Abuja, on Saturday, January 15, 2022.

The National Delegates returned Comr Hamza Mohammad as President of the Union as well as Comr White Chris Nwaihi who served as Deputy President in the immediate past dispensation. The delegates re-elected former Treasurer, Comr Jacob Okemhe as Deputy President in the 2022/2022 Executive Council.

Other elected members include comrades Abiola Fasiu Alao, Deputy President; Comr Newlife Ogbokor, Deputy President; Kabiru Haruna, Vice President; Kuforiji Olakunle, Vice President; Chima Nwaji, Vice President; and Sylvanus Effiong, Vice President.

The newly elected members also include Akinola Akinbola as Financial Secretary, Musa Nasir as Deputy Financial Secretary, Osomose Onize Elizabeth as National Women Leader, Musa Adamu Nasco as Deputy National Treasurer, Ahmed Tijani Ibrahim as National Auditor, Yusuf Osobah Attach as National Treasurer, while Aminu Nura Hamidu was elected Deputy Auditor of the union.

Delivering the acceptance speech on behalf of the newly elected national executives, President of the Union, Comr Hamza Muhammad thanked the electorate for the confidence reposed in the team and assured that they will vigorously pursue the realization of unionization of all mineworkers in every state of the federation, ‘and ensure that operations in the mining sector are carried out without infringement on the constitutional rights and liberties of the members of the union.’

Comr Hamza Muhammad further said: ‘More than ever before, we will increase the tempo with which we have seriously pursued the realization of set goals, especially the determination to ensure improvement in the welfare and wellbeing of every member of the union.’

First Deputy President, Comr White Chris Nwaihie said one of the focuses of the current executive team is to set an agenda of lawfulness for government and operators in the sector. According to him, ‘one of the consequences of the failure of government to support indigenous operators is the influx of foreign operators to the quarrying and mining sector,’ stating that the pursuit of economic diversification without regard and support for indigenous players does not encourage the citizen. ‘We want policymakers to enforce the rules of engagement as it is written in the laws,’ he added.

Deputy President, Comr Newlife Ogbokor said the Federal Government needs to exercise political will in order to deliver the promise of the mining sector to jobless Nigerians. National Women Leader, Comr Mrs. Osomose Onize Elizabeth called on governments at all levels to be gender-sensitive, stating that women will add great value to the mining sector.

Registrar of Trade Unions, Nigeria Labor Congress congratulated the newly elected executives and commended the peaceful conduct of the elections.