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Vows to ensure minimum wage compliance by states
From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The newly appointed Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, has vowed to fight unhealthy labour practices, with a focus on child labour and irregular migration.
Dingyadi stated this during an engagement with labour correspondents, where he outlined key priorities for his tenure, in Abuja on Wednesday.
According to him, “Our administration has zero tolerance for unhealthy labour practices, including child labour and irregular labour migration. Working with local and international partners, all these are going to be confronted head-on while we are here.”
On the issue of the national minimum wage, Dingyadi reassured Nigerians that the federal government and most states are committed to its implementation. He acknowledged that a few states are still in the process of aligning with the law, but expressed confidence that all states would comply by January 2024.
The Minister also disclosed ongoing efforts to improve Nigeria’s skill acquisition centres, many of which have fallen into disrepair. He committed to renovating these centres, emphasising their essential role in training job seekers and empowering individuals for self-employment.
He said that his administration will prioritise job creation, skill development, and the promotion of industrial harmony, while stressing that the Ministry’s role is not to directly offer jobs but to create policies and programmes that facilitate employment in both the public and private sectors.
According to him, the Ministry’s roadmap for the future of work in Nigeria is centred around the theme “Empowering the Nigerian Workforce with Green and Digital Skills.” He explained that the green economy, with its focus on sustainability, will generate new industries and job opportunities, while the growing demand for digital skills, such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and cybersecurity, will be prioritised through training initiatives.
In addition to these efforts, the Minister revealed plans to launch the Labour Employment and Empowerment Programme (LEEP), a nationwide initiative aimed at equipping 2.5 million Nigerians annually with the necessary skills to thrive in the digital age.
He further expressed gratitude for the media’s role in protecting the integrity of the Ministry and called for continued collaboration to ensure the effective communication of government policies.
“We appreciate your significant role as our strategic partners in actualising our mandate and delivering on our service. I enlist your support to give significant visibility to the programmes and activities of the Ministry. You understand the importance of communicating the activities of government to the public to avoid misperception. I crave your support in this direction.
“My agenda for the Ministry is to strive to actualise every aspect of the Ministry’s mandate, and with diligence, and your collaboration, it will come to fruition,” he added.