THE 18th Edition of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Harmattan School is presently taking place at the Michael Imoudu National Institute of Labour Studies, MINILS, Ilorin, Kwara State.

While welcoming guests and participants, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer, D-G/CEO, of MINILS, Issa Aremu, disclosed of a four-year plan to lift up the Institute and take it to the next level.

According to him: “On assumption of office in May 2021 following my appointment by the President, we initiated a four-year Strategic Plan for the Institute. The Plan is the product of robust inputs of all the stakeholders that include organised labour.

“The Plan undergoes further validation and inputs of the International Labour Organization, ILO. The Plan rests on the Core Values of Partnership, Professionalism, Inclusivity, Dialogue, Innovativeness, Transparency, Service Delivery, Client-Focused Development, Diversity, Gender Equity.

“The domestication of Harmattan School here is a practical realisation of our new core values of partnership, stakeholder ownership and service delivery of the Institute. We salute the spirit of comradeship and cooperation between the NLC and MINILS.

The Director-General informed that: “Notwithstanding our limited budget, we have deliberately improved on the hostel and classroom facilities to make participants even more homely. Our sporting facilities are there to keep participants fit in line with the recent directive of the Head of Service of the Federation on “Keeping Fit for Healthy Living” and Working Life. We have DSTV- TVs in all the limited rooms for participants to among others, catch on the Qatar 2022 soccer competition after a good day of learning. The environment is also kept neat for participants' comfort.

MoU on Labour Education

Speaking on deepening Workers' Education further, Aremu said: “I suggest that both MINILS and NLC should work out a comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding/ Agreement to make this collaboration in all areas of labour education sustainable. We must also jointly collaborate to engage with the government for adequate funding and patronage of the only Labour Institute by all labour market actors. The two Ministers of Labour have commendably uplifted MINILS through institutional support.

“MINILS is grossly underfunded! Which explains why we must leverage on collaboration and partnerships. We salute Fedriech Ebert Stiftung, FES, and ILO for their continuous institutional support. Special appreciation to the Minister of Works, Babatubde Fashola who has come to the aid of the Institute to reconstruct our access road. Kindly help to also appreciate Minister of Finance, Hajia Zainab Ahmed who has been giving the Institute the necessary audience for support.”