Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, and Pastor-Politician, Rev. Chris Okotie, yesterday, saluted Nigerians workers for their tireless contribution to the socio-economic development of the country, in spite of fluctuating economic realities.
In a goodwill message to mark this year’s Workers’ Day celebration, signed by his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity), Yusuph Olaniyonu, in Abuja, Saraki commended the leadership and members of Organised Labour for their patriotism in often choosing dialogue rather than industrial action in resolving trade disputes.
He expressed hope that workers would be encouraged to always put in their best in working to uplift and sustain the nation’s economy, in view of the recent signing into law of a new minimum wage of N30,000.00.
“No nation can develop without a virile and agile workforce. It is trite to say that workers are the mainstay of our nation’s economy, since no policy of government, no matter how remote, will succeed without the commitment and collaboration of workers saddled with implementation.
“However, having interacted with Nigerian workers and their leadership times without number, I can say without fear of contradiction that the nation’s workforce is among the best in the continent,” he stated.
“All that is left is to adequately harness their abundant talents and spirit of patriotism to further improve on the nation’s economic and political development through timely and adequate motivation, training and retraining.
As workers celebrate today, Governor Rochas Okorocha has wished them, especially those in Imo State well in all their endeavours and also wished them a blissful celebration.
The governor thanked workers in the state for the unflinching cooperation they gave to his administration, for the eight years he held sway as governor and asked God to bless all of them.
He noted that his administration has done all within its reach to make its workers happy; through certain policies and programmes and added that his government never let workers in the state down.
Also, vice presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party in the 2019 presidential election, who is also former Anmabra State governor, Mr. Peter Obi, has said it is their labour that keep Nigeria going.
Speaking to Airport correspondents at the Domestic wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, yesterday, Obi called on those owing workers to seek ways to clear their debts and emphasised the need to take care of pensioners, because they contributed to the growth of the wealth of the nation in their productive years and need special care at old age.
On his part, Okotie urged workers to be more productive and efficient.
“A productive work force deserves decent pay; employers should also respect labour rights so as to avert disruptive strikes which often harm the economy,” he said, and added that “Nigeria needs industrial stability to grow the economy.
Presidential candidate of Fresh Democratic Party, in the just-concluded general election, Rev. Okotie, called for comprehensive review of the country’s labour laws, “to bring them in line with global standard practices, as enshrined in the statutes of the International Labour Organisation.
The Federal Government recently approved a new national minimum wage of N30,000 and Okotie expressed hope that state governments, and other public sector employers would be pay the new minimum wage.
He advised federal and other sub-national governments and public institutions to diversify their sources of revenue. “There’s an urgent need to turn our oil-depended economy into a multi-product export economy. That’s the only way to sustain our position as Africa’s largest economy.”