The Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) and some other organised labour unions have commended President Bola Tinubu for appointing a substantive Minister of Labour and Employment.
The leadership of the unions gave the commendation in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja
Reacting to the appointment of Mohammed Dingyadi as Minister designate for Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mr Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, Director-General of NECA, said it was long overdue.
“This appointment, though overdue, is expected to give a more definitive leadership to the ministry.
“Key among the issues to be addressed is the parlous industrial relations in the nation that needs urgent attention.
“The conveyance of National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC) meeting should be top of his priorities.
“Of importance also, is the need to deepen social dialogue and tripartite to enhance industrial peace and harmony,” he said.
Oyerinde said NECA, as a key member of the social partners and only representative in the ILO Governing Body would continue to play a leading role in supporting the ministry to fulfil its core objectives.
Also, Mr Peters Adeyemi, General Secretary of Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions(NASU) congratulated the new minister designate.
According to Adeyemi, the nomination came “when the ministry has become virtually non existent and there are myriad of labour related issues confronting the nation”.
“It is our hope that he will be in a position to revitalise the ministry and get it back to work the way it was when Sen. Chris Ngige was in the saddle.
“Hopefully too, he will work towards the normalisation of the cat and mouse relationship between Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)and the Presidency for the benefit of the Nigerian workers and the Nigerian people.
“We wish him a successful tenure,” he said.
Mrs Rose Uba-Amarah, Deputy President of NLC, said that it was imperative for the new minister designate to show concerns on issues bordering on workers’ welfare.
Uba-Amarah, who is also the President of the Nigeria Union of Public Service Reportorial Secretariat, Data Processors and Allied Workers (NUPSTRAW), said that they hoped that the Dingyadi would make a difference in the ministry.
“We hope that the new minster designate will ensure smooth relationship between government and labour for the good of workers, even in the private and informal sectors.
“We also hope that the minister will use his good offices to ensure that agreement reached between unions and government are fully implemented,”she said.
She commended Mrs Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Minister of State for Labour and Employment for what she has been doing in acting capacity as the labour minister.
Mr Anthony Benjamin, National President, Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees, (AUPCTRE) said the appointment of the substantive minister was apt.
Benjamin noted that there were a lot of industrial crises in the labour sector that needed urgent attention.
“The minister designate has a lot to do, especially in the areas of the lingering issues between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU), and other industrial unions,” he said.
Benjamin also appealed to the minister designate to address the menace of contract staff and casualisation in the different sector of the economy.
NAN reports that the position of Minister of Labour and Employment became vacant in Dec. 2023, when the incumbent, Simon Lalong, immediate past Governor of Plateau, resigned.
Lalong, tendered his resignation as minister in order to proceeded to the National Assembly as Senator representing Plateau South Senatorial, a seat he won as affirmed by an appeal court ruling of Nov. 7, 2023
NAN also reports that Dingyadi is among the seven minister designate appointed on Wednesday by President Tinubu into his cabinet. He is assigned the Ministry of Labour and Employment
The president had requested the Senate to confirm the new ministerial nominees in a letter read by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, during plenary on Thursday.
Born in 1953 in Sokoto State, Dingyadi is a former Minister of Police Affairs under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
A 1978 graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, the minister designate is a one time
member of the House of Representatives representing Bodinga Federal Constituency.
He is also a former Chairman of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) Abuja and former Secretary to Sokoto State Government.
