By Ado Hassan, Sokoto
Speaking at the union’s 29th annual national conference, the General Secretary of the union, Issa Aremu, noted that the factories are domiciled in various states, hence the need for the state governments to be included in the industrial council as well as representatives of organised labour.
The union Scribe described human resource as the greatest resource that Nigeria is endowed with, hence the need for the government to improve the remuneration of the workers.
“The human resource is the most strategic resource in the country and it becomes necessary for the government to invest in the workforce while the workers should not be underrated,”he said.
Aremu stressed the need for the Federal Government to constitute the National Minimum Wage Negotiating Committee, to ensure the attainment of the set objectives.
He also reminded the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress of the need to rise up to the occasion and strive for the improvement of salary of workers.
In the same vein, Aremu described Governor Tambuwal as a shining example of exemplary leadership and as such should contest in the 2019 presidential polls.
In his remarks through Professor Bashir Garba, Secretary to the State Government, Governor Aminu Tambuwal, highlighted some of the efforts being made to revive collapsed industries through the recent acquisition of a textile plant in the state.
Tambuwal, in the same vein, expressed the commitment of the present administration towards improving the welfare of workers.
The National President of the Union, Mr. John Adaji, said the national conference was motivated by the need to continuously engage the current economic framework enunciated by the Buhari administration for industrial revival and in particular the CTG policy and the promise it holds for revival of textile industries in Nigeria.
“The conference will focus attention on the country’s labour force as an important vehicle for driving prosperity and development.
“It will also provide the platform to address the basic labour market issues such as living wage, pension, social security and other welfare benefits that are germane to raising productive workforce,”Adaji stated.
The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Mathew Kukah, stressed the need for the federal government to strive hard in providing infrastructure as a catalyst for industrial development.
Also, the state Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Aminu Umar, described Tambuwal as a labour-friendly governor, saying workers were not being owed salary in the state.