From Magnus Eze, Abuja
The Federal Government, yesterday, disclosed how it begged international oil companies (IOCs) and leading construction companies in the country not to lay off workers because of the downturn in the economy.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, who made the disclosure at an interactive session in Abuja, explained that his ministry engaged the companies and labour unions alike to ensure that workers were not laid off but retained even without salaries or on contract basis as retrenchment would increase the army of unemployed people in the society.
Although a few companies retrenched some workers, the minister expressed gladness that it was not commensurate with the slide in the economy.
“There may be one or two lay off, but, it was not commensurate with the slide we have. We are aware that the contractors have not been paid, so we met with them and the unions, and pleaded with them not to lay off; instead, they should keep them even if they are not paying, say on contract basis,” he said.
His colleague, Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola added that government was determined to do strategic revamping of the nation’s infrastructure, while his Federal Capital Territory (FCT) counterpart, Alhaji Muhammad Bello disclosed that land processing was being made transparent to ease the cost of doing business and ensure that land speculators had no place in the FCT.