President Muhammadu Buhari has commended Nigerian workers for the way they “have conducted themselves notwithstanding the difficulties of this Covid-19 pandemic situation.”
The president gave the commendation in a message of appreciation to the workers through a Zoom meeting of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) on Friday.
The president, who was represented by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, extended his good wishes and solidarity to the workers as they marked the May Day celebrations.
“The president has shown his appreciation to you for the way you have conducted yourselves in spite of the deleterious effects of this Covid-19 situation. He has extended his gratitude to the Nigerian workers for the way you have fought this coronavirus,” Ngige said in a press release by his media aide, Emmanuel Nzomiwu.
Reacting to fears of possible job losses as a result of Covid-19, government allayed the fears, saying government and social partners would look at the four-pillar policy responses, laid out by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) “which are human-centred and built on global solidarity.”
To ensure economic sustainability post-Covid-19, government said it was developing a comprehensive economic sustainability plan.
“The plan is being developed by the Economic Sustainability Committee led by the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, and comprising the Minister of Finance, Industry, Budget and Planning, Central Bank governor and others and a committee set up by the President, comprising the Ministers of Industry, Trade and Investment, Communication and Digital Economy, Interior, Works and Housing, Health, Science and Technology, Labour and Employment and Education. We are saddled with the responsibility of producing a comprehensive policy for a Nigerian economy functioning with Covid-19.”
He said talks were on-going between the presidential economic sustainability committee and employers on job protection and “even job creation at this time and progressively post-Covid-19.”
He reiterated that employers would not be encouraged to disengage staff without prerequisite social dialogue and clearance from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.
Ngige reassured that all relevant factors to the nation’s work force would be identified, analysed and solidified to ensure job retention and continued realisation of decent work agenda.
He disclosed that the presidential task force (PTF) had sent people to Madagascar and Senegal to see if they could adapt their methods to tackle Covid-19 pandemic in Nigeria.
