AbdulRazaq Promises Regular Training for Workforce in Kwara

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

The Kwara State Governor, Mr. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, yesterday reassured the labour unions in the state that his administration would continue to develop the civil service through regular capacity building for its workforce.

AbdulRazaq gave the reassurance at the opening session of the 2021 NLC Harmattan School that was organised by the national headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), at the Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS), Ilorin, the state capital.

He noted that the training exercise would hone the skills of the labour leaders in managing industrial relations and enjoined participants to apply the gains derived from the training to render maximum productivity and efficient service delivery.

“The importance of this enhancement programme cannot be overemphasised because of its relevance to human capital development.

“Our administration recognises the importance of quality human resources in the public policy process. We are, therefore, committed to train and retrain our workforce to promote and build virile and result-oriented public servants.

“It is my hope that this training programme will drive purposeful and objective ideas that will better the lives of the workers and the general public at large.”

AbdulRazaq also acknowledged the understanding and cooperation of the leadership of NLC and other labour unions with his administration.

He said: “Our state has been experiencing a peaceful industrial atmosphere. This is due to patriotic efforts on both sides to maintain cordial relations for mutual benefits. Rest assured that we do not take that for granted.”

The event was attended by dignitaries from government, labour movements and traditional institutions, including the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Barr. Festus Keyamo; the NLC President , Comrade Ayuba Waba, and the Secretary of NLC, Mr. Emmanuel Ugboaja.

There were also the representative of the Emir of Ilorin and Alangua of Opolo, Mr. AbdulRahmani Zulu-Qornainy; the Chairman MINILS’ Governing Council, Mr. Frank Ovie-Kokori; the Director General of the MINILS, Comrade Issa Aremu and the Senior Special Assistant to the Kwara State Governor on Labour, Mr. Abdulmumin Onagun among others.

Keyamo, in his remarks, said that the training exercise was a product of collaboration between the NLC and the labour institute to engender emancipation, empowerment, gender equity, poverty eradication, inclusive growth and development.

He commended the NLC/MINILS partnership for the benefits it offered to the country and disclosed that his ministry’s vision tallied with Governor AbdulRazaq’s call for the upgrading of the institute to a full-fledged university for labour studies.

“By the prompting of the state governor and of course our vision for this place, we are seriously thinking upon upgrading this school to a full-fledged university of labour studies. We seriously need this because we have the infrastructure, personnel and right environment.

“I call on all of you to join the institute so that we can achieve its mission and vision as a center of excellence on labour studies,” he said.

Delivering his keynote address, Waba lamented that Nigerian workers have suffered a lot during the COVID-19 pandemic and advocated that they deserve a social security programme that is properly structured from their employers.

He charged participants at the training and other unionists in Nigeria to embrace quality education in order to prepare them well for leadership position in the labour movement.

He commended AbdulRazaq for being labour-friendly and for uniquely showing concern for agitations of the labour unions at all time.

He said: “Once again, Your Excellency, I thank you for being here. In other states when we have such programmes they will run away because they don’t want to see the faces of their workers. I am happy you are here.

“In many states when we appear they will disappear. We only see them on the pages of the newspapers or media platforms to say they don’t support NLC.”

Aremu praised the NLC for being consistent with organising the impactful training, which that showed that the labour movement is living up t expectations.

He described AbdulRazaq as a silent achiever and requested that the governor should donate projects that would be formidable and everlasting in favour of the institution of learning.

“But much more significant is that we have a comrade governor of this state hosting the institute. He is a silent achiever. He is renovating public schools and many more. He keeps to time such that he is known as Mr. Punctuality. Your Excellency, I welcome you for the first time coming to MINILS, but you have done so much everywhere. It is now time to also do something for the institute,” he said.