Nigeria’s Minister of Labour and Employment, Alhaji Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi has said that the current administration will no longer allow trade disputes to degenerate into full-blown industrial action.
He said that the evolution of a well-informed workforce which the government seeks to create will result in the overall reduction in the number of industrial disputes in our workplaces.
He spoke at the 7th Registrar of Trade Unions National Workshop on Current Challenges and Prospects of Trade Union Administration in Nigeria held in Abuja on Wednesday.
Dingyadi said that his ministry is hoping to prevent strikes through constructive dialogue with the aggrieved and by ensuring that they are given what is due to them.
“The solution is for you to talk to the people who are aggrieved and to appeal to them not to go on strike. So, if you carry everybody along and listen to their grievances there will be no strike.
“What is important is for you to talk to the people, listen to their complaints and endeavour to give them what is due to them. This we are going to do,” he said.
On the allegations of reneging on agreements often levelled against government by unions, the minister said that most of these agreements were reached by previous administrations and they have very long time to honour.
“You know that situations keep changing and we have to see what we can do to honour those agreements as much as possible. You will agree with me that things are not so easy now due to paucity of funds but we will sit together to see how we can move forward.”
Dingyadi said that regular education and empowerment workshops apart from improving productivity are the essential ingredients for the development of a well-informed workforce which in turn results in the overall reduction in the number of industrial disputes in our workplaces, thus as agents of change and productivity enhancement.
He said that issues to be discussed at the workshop include; thematic labour areas such as the legality of strikes by unions; Rights at work concerning the promotion of harmonious labour relations through Collective Bargaining; Challenges and Creative solutions to implementation of New Minimum wage.
Others topics were future of work in a challenging economy with perspective on workplace relations in Nigeria; and Effective management of Trade Unions affairs focusing on challenges and opportunities.
While welcoming participants at the event, the Director overseeing the office of the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour and Employment, John Nyamali said the aim of the annual conference was to
find workable strategies in addressing identified labour administration challenges in our dear country given emerging trends in the world of work.
Onyebuchi Ezigbo
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