The Head of Civil Service of Kwara state, Mrs. Modupe Susan Oluwole, has identified consistent dialogue and effective communication between workers and management is capable of boosting performance of workers as well as
create bond in workplace.
Speaking as a special guest of honour at a collaborative International
Conference between Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies
(MINILS), the Nigerian Industrial and Employment Relations Association
(NIERA) and the Department of Employment Relations and Human Resources Management of University of Lagos, at the Institute in Ilorin, Kwara state, Monday, Mrs. Oluwole said the issues for discussion at the conference as
germane and determining factors to the existence of any organisation.
She further noted that the relationship in a workplace “is symbiotic in
nature,” adding that “no organisation survives without workers and workers
don’t get employed if an organisation doesn’t exists.”
The theme of the conference is “Employment Rights, Industrial Governance and Humanization of the Workplace: Present Realities, Future Prospects.”
The Kwara state head of service stressed the need for workers to be trained on how to effectively carry out their jobs, adding that the efforts of the workers should also be complimented with incentives to serve as motivation.
Also speaking, Professor Akua Opokua Britwun of the University of Cape
Coast, said it had become imperative for Nations in Africa to shift from
North – South to South – South collaboration where the nations concerned
“can speak the same language and engage in issues as academic Institutions
that are positioned to address national workforce.”
According to him, the world of work is central to the economic development
of any nation, especially within the sub-region of ECOWAS that are still
grappling with infrastructure development, skill and governance issues.
She commended MINILS for organising the conference which could serve as a
panacea that “will allow for a direct connection with industries, labour
and the state and assist in creating avenues for discussion on alternative
ways to end workplace challenges.”
In his keynote address, a former president of the NLC, Comrade Hassan
Sunmonu, stressed the need for trade unionists and workers to always strive
to acquire more knowledge and know a bit of everything.
He urged workers to be patriotic and further advised trade union leaders to
imbibe certain values which included dedication to work, honesty and
commitment to the cause of their members, union, nation and humanity.
Earlier, in his remarks, the director-general/chief executive officer of
Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS), Alhaji Ishaq
Saliu Alabi, said the conference was an important addition to the
traditional programmes of the Institute and signals Managements’ intent to
upscale the activities of the Institute.
Alabi, who said the event was the first major academic conference hosted by
the Institute, expressed optimism that it will bring about the
crystallisation of the vision of partnership between the Institute and
other Institutions involved in the conference.
