Determined to put a stop on school pupils getting wet during this rainy season with their attendant wet floors, a Non-Governmental Organization, Third-Estate has donated all season skecher shoes to selected schools in Moro Local Government Area of Kwara State.

Making the presentation at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the group in Ilorin Emirate, the President of the association, Mallam Bolaji Nagode said the gesture apart from being a morale booster to the students, was also geared towards unifying the councils within the Ilorin Emirate.

Nagode said: “With supports from Assist International, Ripon, California through Lanre Gidado, Third-Estate presents the Skechers shoes to the selected schools in Moro Local Government to protect students during the raining season and for exercises and is also a symbolic gesture to the people of the community that all local governments in Ilorin Emirate are in one spirit of equity, justice and fairness in politics and economic development.”

Speaking on the activities of the association in the last one year, Mallam Nagode said: “We have commenced free medical outreach for elderly people in the communities and initiated Skills acquisition programmes in ICT through credible IT learning centres.

“We also have a plan to sponsor young graduates to acquire skills in Solar PV Installation and maintenance as part of creating self-empowerment job opportunities for the youths.”

The President also disclosed that a database program on eminent personalities from Ilorin Emirate who contributed to the growth and development of the community and Nigeria is being conducted by Image Merchants Promotion Limited, a reputable PR firm in Abuja.
Speaking on behalf of Good Friends of Moro People, Alhaji Raji Mohammed expressed gratitude to Third-Estate for the donation of Skecher Shoes and its various activities in supports youths empowerment and skill acquisition programmes.

At their Annual General Meeting of the association on April 5, 2015 in Kwara Hotel, Ilorin, members unanimously resolved and re-elected the executive officers to continue in office for their commitments and selfless service.

Early in his remarks, the President of the association, Dr. Yusuf Lawal urged members to renew their vow to continuously work for the upliftment of the society and improvement of the people.

He state that “we have tried in our own humble way to contribute to the development process of Ilorin Emirate even as there are huge and multidimensional challenges confronting the people which must be addressed.

“We cannot therefore afford to rest on our oars. We must do everything within our power to ensure that we arrest the downward slide in the quality of lives of our people and provide the much needed opportunities”

The Executive members whose tenures have been renewed include Dr. Yusuf Lawal, President; Ahmed Bolaji Nagode, First Vice President; Dr. Ibrahim Gambari, Second Vice President and Shehu Usman Aladire, Treasurer.

Other officers include Abdulhakeem U . Mustafha, Legal Adviser; Yushau Abdulhameed Agaka, Publicity Secretary, Isiaka Yahaya, General Secretary and Saad Ayuba Danmusa Assistant Secretary

A statement issued by the publicity secretary of a socio-cultural group, the Third-Estate, Yushau Abdulhameed Agaka, said its president, Dr. Yusuf Lawal, made the call at Annual Dinner of the forum in Ilorin Emirate of Kwara state.

He pointed out that “given the level of acrimony, distrust, violence and insensitivity that characteristically dominate the political scene in election year in the country, there is the justifiable fear that the 2015 election may not be different from the past ones.”

He said: “The common interests we share as a people far outweigh any political consideration that drives us apart. We must not allow our relationship to be defined by political differences. In the bid to seek elective offices, national interest must remain paramount and should supersede all other forms of personal interests. The collective and long-term interest of our people should therefore take precedence over narrow and short term political considerations.”

The statement added that also speaking as the Guest Speaker, the Vice President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Isa Aremu, demanded an upward review of the national minimum wage.
He said: “To appreciate human resource, we must motivate the labour which constitutes the great resource. We must ensure workers are paid well and on time. It should be noted that delay of salary is the same as wage theft.

“The national minimum wage is due for a review next year. The 2010 National Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage headed by Justice SMA Belgore recommended that to avoid ad-hoc approach, the minimum wage is supposed to be reviewed every five years. It is due this year! Time to review this is NOW!”

He regretted that despite the quantitative strength of Nigeria in human resources, in both policy and governance discourse, the country has almost redefined resources as oil and gas in Nigeria and mineral resources. We have increasingly relegated human resources to the margin in the hierarchy of critical success factors for development.

“The implication is that these countries have left Nigeria far behind in terms of productivity, income generation and general economic development,” and advised that the challenge lies in re-invention of the human resources.