Aremu Hails Tinubu for “Audacity of Reforms” with Job Security in Public service, Calls for “Reforms Quality Control”
Regular quality inclusive labour education for workers, employers of labour as well as government officials is a precondition for sustainable crisis- free Renewed Hope reform Agenda of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu .
This was the consensus of the participants at the just concluded 2024 10th National Labour Relations Summit (NLRS) of the premier Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS) in Ilorin. The summit was declared open by President Bola Tinubu represented by the Honourable Minister of State Federal Ministry of Labour & Employment, Hon. Barr. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha.
MINILS National Labour Relations Summit is a decade long Annual largest gathering of the critical mass of stakeholders in Nigeria’s labour relations system. Scores of thousands of participants had attended past summits with distinguished presence of labour leaders, ministers, governors, local and international partners in the labour market.
As many as 600 participants featured at the last Tuesday summit themed:The Future of Work and Renewed Hope Reform Agenda” which deliberated on the impact of reform on employment issues with the main objective of promoting industrial harmony, social justice in work places and productivity for national development.
In his address at the summit, the Director-General Comrade Issa Aremu observed that following “legitimate mixed reactions” that have trailed reform measures there was the need for veritable platform to “regularly but constructively” assess the impact of the reform Renewed Hope Agenda, on job creation, productivity, wage improvement and industrial harmony for prosperous Nigeria.
Comrade Aremu hailed President Bola Tinubu for what he called “audacity of reform” which necessitated “controversial immediate removal of the Trillion-naira per annum subsidy payment on petrol products and liberalization of the foreign exchange market”. He said the ongoing national and international debate on the imperatives of reform in the country was “healthy” for Nigeria.
“It is good that inclusive issues of “Development”, “growth” now feature in Nigeria’s discourse with “reform enthusiasts” pointing to the emerging benefits and “reforms skeptics” alluding to the adverse effects of rising inflation and worsening wage income poverty” he said. The Director General however said the premier labour Institute (MINILS) offers a veritable platform to constructively promote social dialogue on how to “maximize the benefits of the reform Agenda and minimize the adverse impacts” adding that “genuine reforms must undergo “quality control”, should have “win- win” outcomes on the future of work, with respect to job creation, productivity, wage improvement and industrial harmony for prosperous Nigeria by all stakeholders”.
Aremu commended the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and organized labour for the constructive engagement that have mitigated the adverse impact of reforms on costs of living, transportation and wages of the workers, following labour legitimate protests and concerns.
“Unlike the reform under President Olusegun Obasanjo which led to indiscriminate mass retrenchment of public employees, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has commendably retained jobs in the public sector like the former President Muhammed Buhari who despite CIVID:19 retained jobs and paid public servants under the global lock down” . “Significantly President Tinubu paid Presidential wage award of N35,000 to federal workers for six months and cash transfer of N25,000.00 monthly to 15 million of the poorest and most vulnerable Nigerians for three months” . “The most historic is the enactment of 2024 3-year cycle National Minimum Wage Act of N70,000, after an intense and well coordinated tripartite (plus) collective bargaining process between the government, organized labour and employers of labour” he said.
The Director General said labour is the most critical success factor of development which must be motivated for development. “Wealth of humans is the wealth of nation. Nigeria should motivate and build capacity for 75 million labour force in formal and informal sectors to deepen the reform agenda”.
While commending some state governors who have paid more than the national minimum, he urged stakeholders to engage further for “wage- led and job- led economic growth” adding that “Minimum and living wage should be complimented by minimum productivity and minimum discipline in the public service”.
The key highlight of the summit was the unveiling of 2025 Training Calender of the Institute that features as many as 53 courses on various labour market themes.
As part of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to promote workplace harmony for national development, the Director General disclosed that MINILS in 2024 Surpassed 2024 Ministerial Deliverables Target of 1250 to over 3,500 workers in private and public sectors drawn from the 6 geopolitical zones of the country who have been trained including People living with Disabilities ( PLWD).
