ILO to Support Nigeria in Formulating National Policy on Industrial Relations

Abuja (ILO News): Following a request by Nigeria’s Ministry of Labour and Employment, the ILO Country Office Director for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone; and Liaison Office for ECOWAS, Mr. Dennis Zulu, has pledged to support the Government of Nigeria in its resolve to formulate a National Policy on Industrial Relations.

Mr Zulu stated this at a meeting with officials of the Ministry led by Mrs Omoabie U. Akpan, the newly appointed Director of Trade Union Services and Industrial Relations (TUSIR) of the Ministry at the ILO Office in Abuja.

Mr. Zulu assured the delegation of the ILO’s continuous support to the Federal Government of Nigeria and other social partners in Nigeria. He stated that as part of the ILO’s commitment to empowering workers, the ILO has supported capacity-building activities of workers, not only in Nigeria; but also in other countries under Abuja Country Office.

In her response, the Director of TUSIR, Mrs. O.U. Akpan thanked the ILO for its continuous support to Nigeria. She stated that in order to improve industrial harmony, the Ministry would like to formulate an Industrial Relations Policy for Nigeria. She also stated that the Ministry had secured the cooperation of social partners to initiate the process hence the consultation with the ILO. She took the opportunity to request for the ILO’s technical and financial support for the formulation of a National Policy on Industrial Relations and informed the ILO of plans to convene an expert meeting to kick-start the process with ILO support.

Mr Zulu reassured the Ministry of ILO’s support for the formulation of the policy.