From Atiku Sarki, Abuja
Newly appointed Minister of Labour and Employment, Mallam Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi, has assured a harmonious working relationship with ministry staff, labor unions, and private organizations.
During his inaugural visit to the ministry on Tuesday, he acknowledged the numerous labor issues and expressed his commitment to building on the foundation laid by his predecessor to foster industrial peace.
“President Ahmed Bola Tinubu is deeply concerned about the well-being of Nigerian workers,” Dingyadi stated. “In line with the President’s vision, I will work diligently to address disputes and other labor-related matters.”
The Minister urged ministry staff to embrace hard work, discipline, and respect for one another. He also commended the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mrs. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, for her significant contributions to the ministry.
Onyejeocha, in her welcome remarks, highlighted the ministry’s diverse responsibilities, including employment generation, skills acquisition, women and youth empowerment, labor standards, productivity measurement, occupational safety and health, social security, cooperatives, trade unions, industrial relations, and conflict resolution.
The ministry, she noted, has offices in all 36 states and six geopolitical zones, employing over 4,000 staff. It also maintains a Labor Desk in Geneva and collaborates with other government agencies.
Onyejeocha emphasized the ministry’s alignment with the administration’s eight-point priority agenda.
She mentioned the submission of performance reports to the Presidency and the ongoing compilation of the ministry’s mandates and functions.
A key initiative, the Labour Employment Empowerment Programme (LEEP), is designed to create 25 million jobs for women and youth.
The program is expected to be formally launched by President Tinubu soon.
