ABUJA-THE Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, yesterday, told the Director General of the International Labour Organisation, ILO, Mr. Gilbert Houngbo, that President Bola Tinubu was passionate about the welfare of Nigerian workers.
Senator Shettima reaffirmed the Federal Government’s dedication to the welfare of members of the organised labour, inclusive economic policies, and wage reforms.
According to the Vice President, the President was committed to a thriving workforce and an efficient labour ecosystem.
Speaking during a meeting with a delegation led by the visiting DG of the ILO, Mr. Houngbo, and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Alhaji Muhammad Dingyadi, Shettima lauded what he described as Nigeria’s vibrant labour movement and its role in national development.
He said: “We have a very vibrant labour movement, led by a competent and patriotic Nigerian. President Tinubu is deeply passionate about the welfare of Nigerian workers. We raised the minimum wage, and most states have started implementing it.
“Some have even gone beyond the N70,000 agreed at the national level. I commend the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, for their statesmanship and commitment to workers’ rights.
“One in four black men is a Nigerian, and by 2050, we will surpass the United States to become the third most populous nation on earth. The average age in Nigeria is 16.9 years. We have a demographic bulge, but with the right policies, we can transform it into a demographic dividend rather than a demographic disaster,” VP Shettima said.
Senator Shettima expressed confidence in the country’s future workforce, saying, “Our young people are digitally more literate than us. While some traditional jobs may disappear, new opportunities will emerge, and we will equip our youth with the skills to thrive in the evolving global economy.”
“Earlier in his remarks, the ILO DG, Mr. Houngbo, thanked the Vice President for receiving him and the delegation, noting that his visit to the country as DG was long overdue, particularly given the strategic importance of Nigeria in the ILO, including the period between June 2023 and June 2024 when it presided over the affairs of the ILO Board of Directors.“Recalling and appreciating Nigeria’s support for his election, Mr. Houngbo said: “Without the mobilization of the government of Nigeria and social partners in the country, my election would have been very difficult. Nigeria mobilized a lot of the African constituents in ensuring my election as DG.”“Other dignitaries present at the meeting included the Minister of State, Labour and Employment, Mrs Nkiruka Onyejeocha; Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Dr. Salihu Usman; Director General, National Directorate of Employment, Mr Silas Agara; Director General, National Productivity Centre, Baffa Agundi; the Director General, Michael Imoudu Institute for Labour Studies, Isa Aremu; President, Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, and the 1st National Deputy President of the Trade Union Congress, Dr. Tommy Etim-Okon, among others.
