Labour should be fulcrum of economic, social policies, Buhari tells world leaders

President Muhammadu Buhari told the gathering of world leaders, employers and workers representatives at the ongoing Centenary International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva on Monday that casualisation of workers in any form as already been barred in Nigeria.

He made this known even as he declared that Labour, should be the fulcrum of economic and social policies, in order to have a just, fair, equitable and egalitarian society in the future.

In view of this, he said the Government of Nigeria has inaugurated and launched the 2017-2020 Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan for the purpose of improving and developing capacity in the public sector towards advancing the nation’s economy.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mr. Williams Alao, spoke on behalf of President Buhari and the people of Nigeria, as the leader of Nigeria and Government delegates to the ILO Centenary session.

While commending the ILO for its achievements in the last 100 years, he said: “On behalf of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the good people of Nigeria, I commend the ILO for its enduring and unique normative role over the last century.

“I also pay tributes to the founding members of this Organisation for their abiding faith in establishing, formulating and supervising the implementation of labour standards that have shaped employment relationships in the world of work.

“Your standard setting machinery and its supervisory mechanism have in no small measure promoted industrial peace and harmony and inclusive growth in member states.

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“It is indeed heartwarming that the ILO, through the Future of Work initiative, is taking the bull by the horn in anticipating future challenges in the world of work and taking a holistic approach in dealing with opportunities as they may arise.”

He added: “I am pleased to inform this august gathering that Nigeria is one of the countries that has convened a National Dialogue on the Future of Work and is implementing many of the initiatives as well as the recommendations of our National Dialogue.

“We agree with the ILO that labour, being the most critical factor of production should be the fulcrum of economic and social policies if we are to have a just, fair. equitable and egalitarian society in the future.”

He pointed out that presently, there is concerted effort to create an efficient, productive, incorruptible and citizen-centred workforce anchored on four pillars; namely, professionalism. enterprise content management system, entrepreneurship culture and enhanced welfare package for employees.

Also speaking with journalists shortly after addressing the ILC Session, he said Nigeria, as a country has already barred casualisation.

He stated that the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment had issued several circulars banning casualisation in Nigeria, adding that casualisation is not acceptable in the country.

He, therefore, stated that the Federal Government will no longer tolerate casualisation in the world of work.