The General Secretary of the African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa), Comrade Akhator Afolabi Joel ODIGIE, met and discussed with British Minister For Africa, Lord Collins of Highbury, and his Development at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office counterpart, Rt. Hon. Anneliese Dodds.
Rt. Hon. Dodds also doubles as the Minister for Women and Equality at the Department for Education. The two separate meetings took place at the West minister on the 12th of September 2024.
Comrade Odigie, after the meeting, hinted that the talks, which mainly focused on contributing to Africa’s democracy and developmental growth, were “rich, stimulating and rewarding”.
At the meeting with the Minister for Africa (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Africa), The Lord Collins of Highbury, comrade Odigie emphasised African trade unions’ ever readiness to stay consistent with advancing democracy and to make tangible contributions for the continent’s development aspirations etched in the quest for decolonisation and the uprooting of Apartheid.
ITUC-Africa’s General Secretary opined that though the situation on the African continent remains dire, organised workers do not have the luxury of lamentation.
Instead, He said African trade unions are digging deeper and more robust in their efforts to ensure the birth of an Africa that works for everyone and all communities.
Comrade Akhator called for support and solidarity from Africa and the continent’s non-state actors in the drive towards consolidating democracy and achieving shared progress and prosperity.
In his response, Lord Collins of Highbury, himself a former trade union leader (Assistant Secretary General of the General Transport Workers Union of the United Kingdom), emphasised the need to church out and celebrate more success stories from the continent.
He enthused that the Labour Party is keen and ready to support trade unions, African governments, and relevant stakeholders in walking the road as partners to achieve tangible and enduring successes.
At the meeting with Rt. Hon. Anneliese Dodds, comrade Odigie touched on the need for the UK to take a leading and progressive role in negotiating and contributing to satisfactory financing for climate change management and driving a just transition that leaves no one behind. He also reiterated the position of African trade unions as agents, contributors, and stakeholders in the continent’s development push, which needs more support to do more. Ms. Dodds expressed excitement about working with critical and enthusiastic African development actors. She also stressed the UK’s readiness to support Africa’s efforts to engineer inclusive and shared economic growth.
Comrade Akhator Odigie attended the meeting with officials of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) of the United Kingdom. He was a special guest of the TUC at its 156th Congress, which took place in Brighton from 8-11 September 2024.
It was the same congress that Comrade Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), was slated to attend, but he was stopped at the airport and briefly detained by agents of the Department of State Security (DSS).
END
