The Nigerian government has stressed the need for industrial harmony between it and labour unions in order to help the nation match towards greatness.
The Vice President, Namadi Sambo, who represented President Goodluck Jonathan, made the call at the Annual Independent Lecture of the Island Club on Saturday in Lagos.
Delivering the lecture at the 74th anniversary of the club, Vice President Sambo, presented the government’s scorecard in critical sectors within the context of industrial relations and labour productivity and how they affects national development.
The Vice President emphasised that industrial relations and labour productivity play a key role in National development, promising that the Federal Government will continue to focus on reforms and policies that will improve productivity and competitiveness to guaranty overall national development.
He said: “Our government through the transformation agenda of Mr President, is mobilising national resources to facilitate the development of strategic economic infrastructure and empowerment of the ingenious micro Small and Medium Scale Enterprises”.
Mr Sambo further stressed that the current administration had accorded skill acquisition a prime place in the efforts being made to improve labour productivity as a means of transforming the economy.
“The newly established 14 universities located across the six geopolitical zones of our country are all function and is aimed at enabling more Nigerians have access to education and skill acquisition.”
He warned against industrial actions that are targeted at jeopardising government efforts in national development and stressed the need for the government and the labour unions to work together harmoniously to ensure that they protest their common and national interests to help the nation match towards greatness.
The Vice President assured the participants of the government’s commitment to embracing industrial harmony, stressing that the government was committed to collective bargaining.
Present at the 74th annual meeting of the club were members and dignitaries across various professions, who gathered to discuss issues of national interest.
