Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has described Nigerian workers as the life-‘blood and driving force’ of the nation’s development in view of their invaluable contributions.
In a statement signed by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, in Abuja, to mark the 2017 Workers’ Day celebration, Saraki lauded the resilience and commitment of workers in both the formal and informal sector, describing their contribution to the nation and the economy as priceless.
“From the SMEs that contribute over 47 percent to our GDP, to the civil servants who are the driving force behind our government, all the way to the unregistered business owners who work to make a living for themselves and their families, every Nigerian worker in both the formal and informal sectors makes a priceless contribution to the sustainability of our nation,” the Senate President said.
“As we mark this year’s Workers’ Day, all Nigerian workers should be proud that their significant contributions keep this nation moving forward — as they are the lifeblood of our country, an integral part of the fabric that makes up our society,” he said.
Saraki also stated that the Senate will continue to work to establish and enhance all legislation that will guarantee the safety and well-being of Nigerian workers, while also emphasizing on the need for governments across all levels and participants in the private sector to work towards ensuring that our workers receive their salaries and pensions as at when due while necessary periodic training should be availed them to make workers competitive in a changing world.
“As a result of globalization, the Nigerian workforce is no longer competing with itself, we are now competing with our counterparts from both developing and developed nations,” the Senate President said, “With this in mind, it is necessary that all employers — those in the public and private sectors — work to continuously invest in the development of their employees.
“On our part, the Nigerian Senate will continue to partner with Nigerian workers to enact legislation that will guarantee that they get their dues at the appropriate time, that their safety and well-being in the workplace are reassured. All these are necessary because when our workers are well taken care of, our businesses thrive, our economy grows, and our nation continues to succeed,” he stated.
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