President Muhammadu Buhari has told workers that despite the
expected downturn in the nation’s economy owing to the coronavirus
pandemic, the Federal Government will ensure that there is no
retrenchment without due process.
Seeking to allay the fears of workers for their jobs, which has
heightened recently, the president in a message to mark the
occasion of this year’s Labour Day said the Presidential Economic
Sustainability Committee recently set up has the responsibility to
reposition the economy and protect jobs.
In a message read on his behalf by the Minister of Labour and
Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, during a virtual meeting with labour
leaders, Buhari said: “I understand the anxiety which has plagued
the minds of workers over the possibility of job losses due to
economic downturn caused by the pandemic and lockdown especially in
the private sector.
“In this regard, the government will ensure that no employer
would retrench or lay off workers without going through due process
of social dialogue which includes consultations with workers and
with the competent authority – Federal Ministry of Labour and
Employment.
“Furthermore, I had earlier put in place a Presidential Economic
Sustainability Committee with the objective of developing a
credible sustainability plan for repositioning the economy now and
post COVID-19 crisis period.
“The committee is required to specifically explore ways and
means of growing our non-oil sector – all in a bid to minimise the
adverse effects of the current crisis and to also protect existing
jobs and even create new jobs to help absorb the teeming army of
the unemployed even before the crises.”
President Buhari noted that something was not right with the
world because of the virus outbreak.
He stated: “But today, May 1, 2020, the usual pomp and ceremony
characterised by sounds of drumming and march past by various trade
unions and their federations are missing in all the stadia
throughout the federation including our Abuja Eagle Square. This is
so because we are fighting an invisible enemy to humanity termed
COVID-19 pandemic.”
He said in a bid to win the war, government had set up a
Presidential Task Force (PTF) made up of the relevant sector
Ministers and highly skilled Health Technical Experts.
Buhari noted that the government had to in a well-designed
expert advice, lock down some states where this pandemic is most
prevalent – the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, Ogun and
Lagos states. Lagos State was and still is the epicentre of the
disease and of late Kano had to follow because of the new eruptions
of Covid-19 in the State.
President Muhammadu Buhari has told workers that despite the
expected downturn in the nation’s economy owing to the coronavirus
pandemic, the Federal Government will ensure that there is no
retrenchment without due process.
Seeking to allay the fears of workers for their jobs, which has
heightened recently, the president in a message to mark the
occasion of this year’s Labour Day said the Presidential Economic
Sustainability Committee recently set up has the responsibility to
reposition the economy and protect jobs.
In a message read on his behalf by the Minister of Labour and
Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, during a virtual meeting with labour
leaders, Buhari said: “I understand the anxiety which has plagued
the minds of workers over the possibility of job losses due to
economic downturn caused by the pandemic and lockdown especially in
the private sector.
“In this regard, the government will ensure that no employer
would retrench or lay off workers without going through due process
of social dialogue which includes consultations with workers and
with the competent authority – Federal Ministry of Labour and
Employment.
“Furthermore, I had earlier put in place a Presidential Economic
Sustainability Committee with the objective of developing a
credible sustainability plan for repositioning the economy now and
post COVID-19 crisis period.
“The committee is required to specifically explore ways and
means of growing our non-oil sector – all in a bid to minimise the
adverse effects of the current crisis and to also protect existing
jobs and even create new jobs to help absorb the teeming army of
the unemployed even before the crises.”
President Buhari noted that something was not right with the
world because of the virus outbreak.
He stated: “But today, May 1, 2020, the usual pomp and ceremony
characterised by sounds of drumming and march past by various trade
unions and their federations are missing in all the stadia
throughout the federation including our Abuja Eagle Square. This is
so because we are fighting an invisible enemy to humanity termed
COVID-19 pandemic.”
He said in a bid to win the war, government had set up a
Presidential Task Force (PTF) made up of the relevant sector
Ministers and highly skilled Health Technical Experts.
Buhari noted that the government had to in a well-designed
expert advice, lock down some states where this pandemic is most
prevalent – the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, Ogun and
Lagos states. Lagos State was and still is the epicentre of the
disease and of late Kano had to follow because of the new eruptions
of Covid-19 in the State.