Ondo State Governor, Dr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, on Monday handed over buses to major workers’ and retirees’ unions in a move aimed at enhancing mobility, coordination and service delivery across the state.
The unions benefiting from the initiative include the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and the National Union of Pensioners (NUP).
Governor Aiyedatiwa said the initiative was intended to ease transportation challenges for union executives, allowing them to engage more effectively with government offices and support their members.
Handing over the first bus to the NLC, he stated that as government workers, with this facility, he is confident they would deliver promptly and without compromise.
He extended the support to the TUC, stressing that the bus would improve movement and facilitate better service delivery.
Addressing the NUT, the Governor drew on his background as a former teacher, urging the union to use the bus to strengthen service delivery in 2026. “As a former teacher, I present this bus to support your mobility and ensure efficient service to your members,” he said.
Governor Aiyedatiwa also acknowledged the retirees, noting: “Retired, but not tired. This facility will allow you to move your executives with ease and support members in engaging government offices efficiently.”
He enjoined all the unions to utilise the vehicles responsibly, emphasising that the provision of the buses reflected the state government’s commitment to fostering collaboration and improving service delivery across Ondo State.
Meanwhile, Governor Aiyedatiwa, on Monday officially launched the ₦5 million Emblem Appeal Fund to mark the commencement of activities for the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration in the state. The governor also donated his one-month salary to inaugurate the 2026 emblem.
Held at the Cocoa Conference Centre, Governor’s Office, Akure, the event honoured the courage, sacrifice and enduring legacies of men and women who laid down their lives defending Nigeria during wars, insurgencies, terrorism and peacekeeping missions worldwide.
Governor Aiyedatiwa commended security agencies for their professionalism and steadfast commitment to protecting lives and property.
He also congratulated the newly elected State and Area Council Executives of the Nigerian Legion on their successful emergence in recent elections, describing their leadership as timely and critical.
He emphasised that Armed Forces Remembrance Day is more than ceremonial, serving as a moral reminder of society’s responsibility to the families, widows, children and dependents of those who paid the supreme price for freedom.
He reaffirmed his gratitude to gallant officers, serving and retired, including those engaged in ongoing counter-insurgency efforts, assuring that the labour of heroes, dead or alive, would never be in vain.
Acknowledging the hardships faced by widows, children and dependents, he revealed that the state government has increased financial support to the Legion in addition to other intervention programmes.
The Governor called on corporate organisations, NGOs and public-spirited individuals to join government in rehabilitating and empowering veterans and their families, stressing that this responsibility should not rest on the state alone.
In her welcome address, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Dr Seun Osamaye, urged stakeholders to support families of fallen heroes and incapacitated soldiers.
She described the occasion as profoundly significant, honouring those who have served the nation and safeguarded its freedoms and stressed the importance of recognising active-duty officers representing Nigeria domestically and internationally.
Osamaye explained that the Emblem Appeal Fund would raise resources to support families and dependents of fallen heroes, as well as surviving soldiers and incapacitated officers.
She added that the initiative would fund commemorative activities, educational programmes and support services for veterans and their families, insisting it was a collective responsibility to preserve their legacies.
Major Folorunso Akingboju, Chairman of the Nigerian Legion, Ondo State Command, commended Governor Aiyedatiwa for his unwavering support for veterans, widows, orphans and dependents.
He reaffirmed that the welfare of veterans and families of fallen heroes remains a priority, with ongoing support in health, education and financial empowerment programmes.
