Prof. Bonaventure Okere, the Acting Director of the Centre said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) as the country commemorates May Day or Workers Day in Abuja.
According to Okere, training and retraining of workers will ensure development in the country and will enable the government to achieve its commitment to the citizens.
“Asking for the increase of workers’ minimum wage is not enough because the increase of wages cannot develop the country.
“I will suggest that labour should also focus on the proper motivation of the workforce through manpower training and development to improve workers’ management skills.
“The training should be circulated among the staff and not to a selected few in an organization because, after payment, development level will remain the same,” Okere said.
The director, however, said that if workers were paid well they would not subject themselves to diverting public funds.
He added that the cost of things had increased and the present minimum wage was not in line with the cost of living.
Okere urged the government to remain true to its promises to workers, adding that improved welfare would motivate them to commit to the country’s development.
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According to him, workers deserve their wages and the government should not deny Nigerian workers of that privilege.
NAN reports that the present minimum wage is N18,000, and the Nigeria Labour Union is pushing for N66,500 due to the high cost of living.
The theme of this year’s celebration is “Role of Labour and Workers in National Development: Dare to Struggle and We Dare to Win”.
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