President Bola Tinubu has stressed the need for Nigeria to move from a consuming to a producing economy.
Represented by the minister of state for labour and employment, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, at the 10th National Labour Summit and Awards organised by the Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS) in Ilorin yesterday, he, therefore, urged Nigerians to support his administration’s efforts at moving the country from a consuming to a producing one.
Tinubu added that every Nigerian has to be involved in governance and production.
He said, “We are a consuming economy. Everybody has to join the production hub to see that in the near future, everybody will be satisfied and food will be on the table of every Nigerian.
“Our administration is saying everybody should come together and be part of the movement to remove Nigeria from the space of poverty. We are on the verge of which everybody has to be involved. We are at the point where everybody must understand the economic indices and how to improve them and not stay in one place idly complaining.
“We are focused on making sure that every agenda on the Renewed Hope Agenda is carried to the letter. I therefore charge MINILS to apart from training workers, preach reconciliation and dialogue.
“MINILS should engage the people on the reforms that the federal government has taken on the economy so that the people will be part of them. If everybody is part of the progress we will have less rancour.
“This administration has demonstrated its commitment to dialogue as the primary means of resolving labour and industrial issues. The historic resolution of the national minimum wage discussions is a testament to this.
“ We engaged extensively with labour unions, employers, and other stakeholders, ensuring that all voices were heard and a consensus was reached.
“However, let me emphasise that social dialogue is not a one-time exercise but a continuous process. Labour reforms, though essential for progress, are not without challenges. They often involve difficult decisions and, at times, painful adjustments. Disputes may arise, but with true and honest engagement among trade unions, employers, and the government, these disputes can and will be resolved constructively. Industrial action, while a legitimate right, must always remain the last resort.”
Tinubu said the summit provided a crucial platform for fostering mutual understanding and securing the buy-in of his administration ‘s social partners to the government’s reform agenda.
Earlier, the director general of MINILS , Comrade Issa Aremu disclosed that the institute surpassed its 2024 ministerial targets on deliverables.
“In 2024, MINILS was assigned 1,250 ministerial targets and deliverables as key performance numbers. We are happy to report that despite the challenges of the operating environment, MINILS surpassed the 2024 ministerial deliverables target of 1,250 to over 2,000 on site at the institute in Ilorin.
“If we add online workers trained and skills up training for employability in carpenters, dye and tye, cinematography and photography by our Entrepreneurship Development department, MINILS has impacted on 3,500 workers in the private and public sectors drawn from the six geopolitical zones of the country. Also, our internally generated revenue from our highly subsidised courses marginally improved even though eroded by the high cost of training and transportation due to rising inflation,” he said.
