The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has donated a three-bedroom apartment at Federal Housing Mass Housing, Zuba to Jessica,widow of one its presidents, Comrade Pascal Bafyau.
Speaking during a formal handing over of keys to the apartment to the widow, NLC President Comrade Ayuba Wabba said the gesture was to help the family of the former president have a befitting accommodation.
He said: “Solidarity is part of the assets that trade unions and their members have and I think it is on that premise that the organs of the congress, led by the National Administrative Council (NAC) thought that it would be important to assist the family of our former president, the first president of the NLC, Comrade Pascal Bafyau to assist the family to have accommodation because before now, the payment of the rent of where they lived had been an issue.
“Everytime we had to seek for support to try to continue to pay for the rent. We thought that having something permanent will be much better than renting, and with the support of Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation Civil Service Technical and Recreation Service Employees we were able to purchase a building constructed by the Federal Housing Authority for the family.
“The event of today is actually to hand over the keys of this house to our mother, the widow of late Comrade Pascal Bafyau and the children that are here.”
Comrade Wabba also said the congress was also helping families of late comrades like China Ubani, the vanguard photo journalist who died along side Ubani, and Olaitan Oyerinde.
“We have also continued on that line….because also on the issue of Chima Ubani, under my leadership we have also continued to support the leadership for five years and that has remained very consistent. We have released that support to the family of late Chima Ubani, and also to the family of the Vanguard Newspaper photo journalist that died along with Chima Ubani in that ghastly motor accident.
‘Not only that, we will also extend same gesture to the wife of our comrade, late Olaitan Oyerinde of which is also going to be a support for the next five years. It is actually in continuation of the philosophy and tradition the trade union movement is known for, that is why we say solidarity forever.
“I thank members of the NAC, members of the Central Working Committee and members of the National Executive Council that have made this a possibility, particularly an accommodation for the family of our late Comrade Pascal Bafyau. It is therefore my honour and very rare privilege to hand over the documents and also the keys to our mother, the wife of late Comrade Paschal Bafyau. This property is donated without any encumbrance to the family.”
In her response, Mrs Jessica Bafyau thanked “the leadership of the NLC for providing the accommodation to us after the departure of your colleague, Comrade Paschal Bafyau. Whatever you are doing today, you are doing it for yourself as well because whatever you sow, you will reap it because I know, if he is the person he would have done the same to any of you.
‘The Paschal I know would rather sleep with hunger than to allow someone else sleep in hunger. Whatever he has he will hand it to somebody else, and his family will suffer. But he prefers to see another person enjoy, than him enjoying himself. That is the Paschal I know, he has given so much. Anything that would please Labour, that is what Paschal will work for not for himself, not for his family.
“For what you have done today for his family, even in his grave, he would appreciate it. So, I thank you very much, God will bless all of you. Whoever has contributed to this project will reap in abundance”
