Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

The pioneer Labour Institute in Nigeriab and foremost in Africa, the Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINIS), Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, has finalised necessary arrangements to partner a Geneva-based International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the University of Greenwich’s Centre of Research on Employment and Work (UoG-CREW), London, in the areas of workers’ education, training and research, to enhance productivity, industrial peace and harmony at workplaces.

According to a delegation, the historic partnership agreements, especially between the MINILS and the ILO International Training Centre(ITCILO) in Turin, Italy, are two major takeaways by the Nigerian delegation at the recently concluded 353rd Session of the Governing Body (GB) of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), which was held between March 10 and 20 in Geneva.

The Governing body is the executive council of the ILO which meets three times a year in Geneva, taking far-reaching decisions on ILO policy. This year’s official delegation included the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment Mr. Dingyadi Muhammad Maigari, Honourable Minister of State for Labour and Employment Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, the Director General of MINILS, Comrade Issa Aremu mni, Director Productivity Department Emmanuel Igbinesson, the ILO Nigeria Labour Attache’ Essah Aniefiok and lead consultant Dr Amos Hosea Kuje.

The agreement with the ILO International Training Centre(ITCILO) in Turin, Italy, it was gathered, is the outcome of a year-long engagement championed by the Director General of MINILS, Comrade Issa Aremu, aimed at reviving the moribund partnership with the ILO in areas of workforce capacity building.

It would be recalled that since the COVID-19 pandemic, the ILO had envisaged MINILS as the destination for sustainable on-site/online labour education for Nigeria and the West Africa sub-region and for Africa as a whole.

Key highlights of the ITC/ILO Turin Memorandum include Technical support and assistance in the provision of learning services, upgrading of MINILS’ training and distance (e-learning) programmes; enrichment of MINILS’ curriculum and learning materials for its advanced certificate and regular training programmes; development of institutional assessments and capacity development plans, improvement of MINILS’ online training capacity; digitalization of the MINILS’ library. On national capacity development, the collaboration also centres on the implementation of tailor-made training activities in Turin or in Nigeria for Nigeria’s trade unions, employers’ associations, government institutions, and other interested parties on industrial relations, policy and development issues.

Critical training areas consistent with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu include Impactful social dialogue in Nigeria’s world of work; Collaborative leadership skills for social partners; Strengthening tripartism and effective labour management relations; Trade union administration and governance in an era of change and renewed hope; Effective administration and implementation of tripartite collective agreement by public and private institutions. The agreement also envisages staff exchange, exposure visits and experience sharing between the two institutions. The ITC/ ILO Director Christophe Perrin and MINILS Director General, Issa Aremu signed on behalf of Turin Centre and MINILS respectively.

In a similar vein, the agreement with the University of Greenwich centres on research on employment and work, with both parties agreeing to develop collaborative activities in academic and educational work inclusive of the exchange of information and materials that are of mutual interest; Exchange of scientific and pedagogical staff and students; Realisation of joint research; Conduct of joint lectures, seminars and events; Preparation of joint publications and exchange of research results. Importantly, both parties shall attempt to secure their reasonable funding to allow for the successful implementation of the MOU.

Stakeholders in the labour market have hailed the signing of the two historic agreements as significant critical success milestones under the leadership of Comrade Issa Aremu in repositioning the Institute for Labour Studies established in 1983 with the expressed mandate to promote labour education.

The Geneva/ London agreements have further reinforced local and international linkages of the Institute that include ILO Nigeria office, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) German Foundation, Development Research and Projects Centre (dRPC) and Kwara State Government on domesticating National women initiatives and policies for women empowerment, West African Management Development Institute (WAMDEVIN), National Universities Commission (NUC) for Accreditation of the Institute’s Bachelor of Science in Industrial relations and Personnel Management Programme in Affiliation with University of Ilorin, Lagos State University ( LASU), The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), on National Policy Dialogue series on “Living Wages and Corruption in Nigeria”, The National Salaries, Incomes & Wages Commission (NSIWC), Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and it’s affiliate unions), Trade Union Congress (TUC), Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) as well as Nigeria Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPPS) Kuru Jos.

Arising from the new transformational development, Director General Comrade Aremu urged all labour market stakeholders to take advantage of the repositioned Institute to develop the capacities of their employees, administrators and executive officers for an effective, efficient and productive workforce.

The ILO Director General, Gilbert F Houngbo hailed the new pact for expanded labour educational service delivery for MINILS “as a significant milestone for labour education in Nigeria and West Africa”.