Organized labour in the country has been urged to partner with President Bola Tinubu in realizing the Renewed Hope agenda of industrial development, job creation and poverty eradication.
Speaking in Ilorin on Tuesday at the 36th Joint Annual National Education Conference organized by the National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN) in conjunction with the Nigerian Textile Garment and Tailoring Employers’ Association (NTGTEA), the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, said that the arrangement is almost concluded for the launching of the Renewed Hope Labour Employment and Empowerment Programme (LEEP).
At the conference held at the main auditorium of the Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS) Ilorin, the minister, represented by the Director General of MINILS, Comrade Issa Aremu, that the LEEP promises measures aimed at revitalizing the nation’s economy and creating jobs to stem unemployment.
According to her, the Labour Employment and Empowerment Programme (LEEP), is a comprehensive suite of interventions at job creation, by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.
She stated that the programme aimed at facilitating the creation of 2.5 million jobs, directly and indirectly on an annual incremental basis, whilst simultaneously ensuring the welfare and safety of workers across the country.
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Meanwhile, the Director General of the Institute Comrade Issa Aremu, has hailed the National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers for its commitment to members’ education and welfare over the years.
He observed in its 46 years as an industrial union, NUTGTWN has signed 48 collective agreements through collective bargaining without resort to workplace shutdown and lock out by employers.
He said the peaceful industrial climate in textile and garment sectors was due to consistent workers’ education, adding that MINILS would further collaborate with the Union for further capacity building.
Comrade AREMU said that President Bola Tinubu was desirous of industrialization through revival of collapsed textile mills.
He, therefore, called on both employers’ association and labour unions in the textile sector to continue the engagement with the government on sustainable industrial policy, adding that “sustainable reform is only possible through value addition not wholesale importation of goods that can be produced locally”.
AREMU recommended what he called the “Dangote-Government – Deal formula“ for all manufacturing sectors of the economy.
He said government has “business in business” through the creation of a favourable environment and intentional policies that will discourage dumping and imports and encourage local production.
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