By Victor Ahiuma-Young
NIGERIA will between Monday and Friday, next week, hold the 6th African Regional Congress of International Labour and Employment Relations Association, ILERA, which will draw participants from Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America.

The theme of the congress is Emerging Trends in Employment Relations in Africa: National and International Perspectives. Being hosted by Nigerian Industrial Relations Association, NlRA, the congress will take place at the University of Lagos.

At a briefing yesterday, President of NIRA, Professor Dafe Otobo, said  the opening slated for Tuesday, January 25, would be presided over by the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, while Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State will be Special Guest of Honour.

He said: “The Chief Host is Professor Sofoluwe, the Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos. Other dignitaries include: Professor Janice Bellace, the outgoing President of the ILERA, and the ILO Regional Director for Africa, Mr Charles Dan Goodwill.

Messages are expected from sister professional bodies, organised labour and the organised private sector.”

“We shall also have a keynote address to be delivered by Dr. Chris Imoisili, a former Director-General of Nigeria Employers Consultative Association, NECA, retired senior staff of the International Labour Organisation, and now an international management consultant based in Los Angeles, California, USA.”

“The keynote address is entitled Global Trends in Employment Relations in Africa: Implications for Global Competitiveness.

The theme of the congress is broken into six sub-themes of: i) Theoretical and Conceptual Issues in Industrial Relations; ii) Industrial Relations and Social Security; iii) Public Service Reforms and Employment; iv) Industrial relations Institutions and Legal/Regulatory Framework; v) Trade Unions and Civil Society; and vi)  Corporate Governance and Social Responsibility.

There over 65 papers to be presented by both local and foreign participants.

The International Conference is the brainchild of the International Labour and Employment Relations Association (ILERA), which was known till only a few months ago, as the International Industrial Relations Association (lIRA). ILERA is based in Geneva, Switzerland, and warehoused by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), which provides its Secretariat.

This Congress has slated several activities this time round. Among these would be a celebration of two landmark developments; i) the first African President of ILERA, Professor Evance Kalula, a distinguished Professor of Labour Law at the University of Cape Town in South Africa, and ii) the election of the President of NIRA to the Governing Council of ILERA. The tenure for both positions is three years in the first instance.