By Victor Young

ABUJA—THE leadership of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has expressed readiness to partner with the Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies, MINILS, in building the capacity of the Nigerian workers.

Ayuba Wabba, NLC President

President of NLC, Ayuba Wabba,  gave this indication when the management of the Institute paid him a courtesy visit at his office in Abuja.

In a statement, Wabba described the Institute as one very dear to the NLC, saying “I want to assure you of our readiness to collaborate with you and see how we are able to maximize the benefits that the Institute in its experience as a foremost Labour Institute can actually bring to Nigerian workers. I think we will do everything possible to ensure that we are able to have a concrete arrangement on how to go about the partnership which I believe will be an enduring one.”

Earlier, Director-General/Chief Executive of the Institute, Saliu Alabi congratulated Wabba on NLC’s achievement under his leadership in the struggle to better the lot of the Nigerian workers.

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He noted that MINILS has contributed its quota to the development of the country through its activities stressing that the need to partner with the NLC was borne out of the desire to serve the Nigerian workers better.

Similarly Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) lauded the Institute for providing qualitative labour education which members of the union have benefitted from.

President of AUPCTRE, Benjamin Anthony, while receiving MINILS’  management on a courtesy visit to his office, noted that the Institute has impacted significantly in leadership skills and practices and pledged his union continued support and participation in the Institute’s programmes.

He, however, decried the near lack of ideology of some union leaders and charged the Institute to come up with programmes tailored towards building trade union capacity on ideological re-orientation and on how workers’ interest can be advanced in consonance with global best practices.

“The rank and file of the union need appropriate education to act in a manner that will promote workers’ right, welfare, social justice and decent work”, he added.