Nigeria’s Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige, has clocked 70 years as President Muhammadu Buhari has felicitated with him on Monday.
The President’s shower of praises for the Minister comes amidst several cases of unresolved labour complications, the most grinding one being that of the six months by the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
The nation’s government-own universities have been shut down since February this year when teachers declined to teach further citing harsh conditions, poor remunerations and inadequate working aids.
There are a pockets of other labour issues yet to be resolved.
But the President said Ngige has been “stimulating a healthy working relationship between employers and employed.”
The president, in a congratulatory message by his spokesman, Mr. Femi Adesina, on Monday in Abuja stated that Ngige’s achievements included impact on governance at both state and national levels.
Buhari noted ”the passion, zeal and diligence that the minister brings into every responsibility”.
According to the president, Ngige started as a civil servant, with distinguished record of work at National Assembly and State House Clinics, before venturing into politics in 1999, where he served as party chieftain, governor and senator.
The president affirmed that Ngige’s penchant for excellence drives his interest to always motivate and breed leaders, leaving a legacy of hardwork in Anambra State as a governor, with landmark achievements in Infrastructure development.
He added that Ngige’s inclusive governance in Anambra had greatly inspired grassroots participation, and accountability that was dubbed “Anambra people’s money working for the people’’.
Buhari also acknowledged the foresight, sacrifice and insight of Ngige in labour laws, creating employment opportunities, and stimulating a healthy working relationship between employers and employed.
He said these virtues had led to various negotiations between unions and government, and putting the interest of workers first, especially for their wages, salaries and allowances.
The president prayed for the wellbeing of the minister and his family.
The president’s claim of Ngige “creating employment opportunities” also came in the face of the country’s unemployment records.
By 2021 records, the nation recorded 35% unemployment rate according to Agusto and Agusto, a respected rating agency.