Nigeria's Minister of Labour and Employment, Maigari Dingyadi, has urged for stronger collaboration between the federal and state governments, organised labour, and the private sector to address unemployment and protect workers' rights. The minister made the call at a Citizen Engagement Programme in Sokoto, themed "Renewing Hope, Protecting Workers, Creating Jobs and Building a Resilient Labour Market." He emphasized the federal government's commitment to creating an enabling environment for decent employment.
Mr. Dingyadi highlighted the achievements of the ministry under President Bola Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda, including the review of the national minimum wage to N70,000, improved industrial relations, skills development, occupational safety, and international labour agreements. The ministry has used dialogue, collective bargaining, mediation, and conciliation to resolve labour disputes and prevent prolonged industrial actions. The minister noted that policies and programmes must improve the lives and livelihoods of ordinary Nigerians.
The minister disclosed that the ministry is undertaking collective bargaining agreements with health sector unions and has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to extend palliatives to civil servants. The ministry has also signed bilateral labour agreements with Saudi Arabia and Qatar to promote safe labour migration and protect Nigerians seeking employment abroad. These efforts aim to promote decent jobs and protect workers' rights.
Mr. Dingyadi emphasized the need to harness Nigeria's human and natural resources, particularly its youthful population, through vocational training, entrepreneurship, digital literacy, and other employment-generating opportunities. He stressed the importance of cooperation between public and private sector stakeholders, technical and financial assistance organisations, and social partners to address unemployment challenges.
Governor Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto State called for deeper collaboration between the federal government and the state to expand employment opportunities, strengthen vocational training, and improve workers' welfare. The governor emphasized the need to promote private-sector investment, agricultural value chains, entrepreneurship, and vocational training to create sustainable employment. He also stressed the importance of improved workers' protection, fair wages, occupational safety, and social security.
The governor urged employers and organised labour to sustain constructive dialogue to promote industrial harmony. He also called on the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment to consider the peculiar employment and skills development needs of Sokoto and the wider North-West region in its national policy interventions. The governor's administration remains committed to human capital development, youth and women's empowerment, and support for small and medium-scale enterprises.
The permanent secretary of the ministry, Kamil Shoretire, said the engagement was designed to strengthen citizens' participation in policy formulation, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. The programme aimed to understand the specific employment and labour-related challenges confronting young people, women, workers, employers, and vulnerable groups. Recommendations from the engagement will receive attention within the appropriate policy and institutional frameworks.
Key points
- The minister called for stronger collaboration to address unemployment and protect workers' rights.
- The ministry has achieved several milestones, including the review of the national minimum wage and improved industrial relations.
- The government aims to promote decent jobs, protect workers' rights, and develop relevant skills under President Bola Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda.
