By Demola Akinyemi, Ilorin

Director General of the Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS), Ilorin, Kwara State, Comrade Issa Aremu, has urged all the agencies of Government at all levels to support and diligently implement the recently approved Renewed Hope Nigeria First Policy initiative of President Bola Tinubu GCFR.

The Renewed Hope Nigeria First Policy initiative by President Bola Tinubu aimed at placing Nigerians at the heart of all business and economic activities in the country was approved on Monday by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

Comrade Issa Aremu in a chat with the media,on Tuesday to commemorate the 43rd anniversary of the establishment of Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies,(MINILS) Ilorin, affirmed that the approved “Renewed Hope Nigeria First Policy” which prioritizes buying of Nigeria’s goods and services would accelerate the realization of Sustainable Development Goal 8 dealing with Decent work and economic growth.

He noted that ,”Nigeria should not only consume what it produces but must intentionally and deliberately use national budgets to promote economic recovery by patronizing Nigerian products and services first as envisaged by Reformer -in- Chief President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. “

Reflecting on the growth and development of the premier National Institute for labour studies since it was inaugurated by the late President SHEHU Shagari in 1983, Comrade Aremu disclosed that it was the need for “Nigeria first in labour Education that made Nigerian government to take over all foreign sponsored labour education institutions that made Nigeria to establish a National Institute for Labour Studies in 1975 Labour Policy. “

The 5th Director General of Nigeria’s labour institute said it was remarkable that MINILS has impacted on hundreds of thousands of Nigerian workers in the past 42 years through its regular systemic educational service delivery.

Aremu said on assumption of office as the 5th Director General of MINILS he made it a deliberate policy to direct procurement process of the Institute to purchase locally assembled vehicles among others in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

It was on this premise that he urged other relevant agencies to key to the initiative by President Bola Tinubu aimed at placing Nigerians at the heart of all business and economic activities in the country.

According to the DG, while highlighting his scorecard,he said,MINILS was underperforming in terms of its core mandate of education, citizenship engagement and advocacy to complement government policies before my appointment before his assumption of office.

“The management team and staff in the past 4 years have tirelessly offered transformational leadership to reposition the hitherto underperforming Institute to a fast-performing visible agency of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment based on its statutory mandate.

“For the first time in its existence, the Director-General initiated and inaugurated a corporate Strategic Plan (2022-2026) for the Institute. The Plan sets the framework and roadmap for the systematic growth of MINILS within the context of its enabling statute, and the legitimate expectations of stakeholders.

“Today, the Director General has made MINILS more visible, and aligned in its activities with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.” Aremu said

He added that,”the Institute has also been active in promoting industrial harmony at workplaces, labour/ government social dialogue, youth skill acquisition programme, youth and women inclusion, and mass digital literacy for self-employment and empowerment.

“Members of organized trade unions in Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) as well as members of Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) at Federal and the states regularly patronize MINILS today for labour education.”he said among others.