The minister of labour and employment, Chris Ngige has said that the welfare of the Nigerian workers is cardinal to the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, hence the unalloyed commitment the Federal Government has continued to demonstrate to the upliftment of the nation’s workforce.
Ngige said this in an address at the Long Service/Merit Award Ceremony of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) held over the weekend in Lagos, a statement issued on Tuesday by the Deputy Director/Head Press and Public Relations of the Ministry, Charles Akpan said.
“The welfare of workers is a cardinal objective of the current administration because the President clearly understands the key role workers play in national development. This is manifest in the various measures the Federal Government has taken since 2015 to reposition the workforce.
“We can easily flashback to a number of bailout funds he gave to states to pay salaries of workers as well as the unprecedented payment of decades-long arrears of salaries and allowances to the workers in the federal civil service. Let’s not forget that the President also wasted no time in giving his assent to the new National Minimum Wage,” the Minister said.
The minister further said Nigerian pensioners have never been as fairly treated as obtained currently, emphasising the significant mileage the administration has covered through the Pension Transitional Administrative Directorate (PTAD).
He therefore commended the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority for keying into the core agenda of the Buhari administration in the labour sector by promoting social dialogue and embarking on incentives that ginger industrial productivity.
“As the minister in charge of the interest of workers, I fully appreciate the importance of good corporate reward system in the promotion of competition and excellence, thus, my deep appreciation of today’s event by the Ports Authority. Its potentials in promoting industrial harmony and productivity cannot be over-emphasised. I hence urge other organisations to borrow a leaf,” he added.
He further congratulated those who were honoured at the event and exhorted workers across the federation to give their best in service, restating the resolve of the Federal Government to safeguard the rights of workers and promote decent work, the statement added.
Innocent Odoh, Abuja
