Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies, Ilorin Kwara State, North Central Nigeria (MINILS) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) with African Regional Labour Administration Centre (ARLAC) to increase women's visibility in National Issues and administrative roles.

This was made known in the keynote address by the Director-General of the Ilorin based labour institute, Comrade Issa Aremu as the school joined the global community to commemorate the International Women's Day, IWD celebration.

Increasing the visibility

Comrade Aremu said the MoU signed with ARLAC would help to domesticate labour administrative trainings in Africa, assured that the Institute was committed to increasing the visibility of women in National issues.

Aremu stressed on the importance of women in the school and Nation building and urged Women to play active role in politics and in contributing to national development.

He said that women need to be more involved in politics, noting that the history of the Institute would not be written without the contribution of women

The Director General promised to ensure that the academic calendar of the Institute is improved upon to reflect gender consciousness and gender awareness which will in turn raise women's awareness.

Support One Another

In her goodwill message, the Chairperson of the  Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Kwara State Council Women Wing, Comrade Victoria Agboola, called on the women in the Institute to continue to support one another.

Comrade Agboola, who praised women in general for their prominent role in the society, urged the female staff of the Institute to lend their voices to national issues as well as participate in the nation's politics.

The Kwara State Trade Union Congress (TUC) Chairperson, represented by the TUC treasurer, Comrade Margret Oyedepo reiterated the need for all women to work in oneness and love so as to increase their visibility at their workplace and in labour movements, adding that their contributions will lead to the overall development of the nation at large.

The female staff as part of their contributions to mark the day, embarked on a sensitization walk, around the host community to awaken the consciousness of other women on the significance of the event as well as their roles to national development.

The International Women's Day, which was officially recognised by the United Nations in 1977 first emerged from the activities of labour movements at the turn of the twentieth century in North America and across Europe, is celebrated in many countries in recognition of women's achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political.