The Nigerian Government has ordered that all the elected labour union leaders in the country must henceforth undergo leadership training at the Micheal Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS), in Ilorin, Kwara State, North Central geopolitical zone.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige handed down the directive in Ilorin while speaking at the MINILS 40th anniversary lecture and conferred fellowship awards on 80 distinguished Nigerians.
Represented by the Director General of the National Productivity Centre, Dr Kashim Akor, the minister said the federal government had realised the importance of leadership training for labour leaders and is taking steps to ensure elected officers are given the required trainings for effective performance.
He disclosed that the government would partner with Zimbabwe on labour matters and training adding that the leadership trainings would prepare the labour leaders for effective service delivery to the nation.
The Minister stressed that the era of brigandage leadership was gone and that Nigeria needed to transition to a more civilized way of engagement as obtained in advanced countries
“Nigeria has to embrace the right attitude to resolving labour issues with a view to fostering the desired growth and rapid transformation in the country.”
Earlier, the Director General of MINILS, Comrade Issa Aremu congratulated the awardees and appealed for more support to enhance the institute’s role of promoting labour education and decent work for all.
He further charged them to exhibit a favourable disposition towards secured and meaningful employment, respect of rights and freedom to work, social protection and security as well as social dialogue.
Aremu said the institute’s first Founder’s Day lecture, is on the theme: “Workers Education in Nigeria: Past, Present and Future.“
He expressed gratitude to the various stakeholders of the institute for keeping faith and exhibiting strong confidence in the vision of the founders of the institute.
According to the Director General, the MINILS had been pivotal for 40 years in providing essential knowledge and skills that bolstered constructive engagements of representatives of the industrial relations tripods.
He disclosed that the institute had been organising seminars, workshops and conferences in the past 40 years to serve stakeholders’ labour educational needs, adding that, currently, MINILS is redirecting to better serve emergent demographics of working people.
Aremu added that the institute is approaching on new activities including academic programmes such as Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) and National Diploma (ND), professional Examination in Industrial Relations, Technical and Vocational Education, Entrepreneurship Training (TVET), catering for artisans and unemployed youths.
In his lecture, Prof Dafe Otobo, an expert in industrial relations harped on the need for labour education from primary, secondary to tertiary level.
PIAK
