Labour Institute, ILO/ UK University Partner On Workers Education

The Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS), Ilorin, has entered into a partnership with International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the University of Greenwich’s Centre of Research on Employment and Work (UoG-CREW), London, on workers’ education, training and research to enhance productivity, industrial peace and harmony at workplaces.

The historic partnership agreements between the MINILS and the ILO International Training Centre (ITCILO) in Turin, Italy, are two major takeaways by the Nigerian delegation at the recently concluded 353rd Session of the Governing Body (GB) of the International Labour Organization (ILO) held from March 10 to 20 in Geneva.

The agreement with the ILO is the outcome of a year-long engagement championed by the director general of MINILS, Comrade Issa Aremu, aimed at reviving the moribund partnership with the ILO in areas of workforce capacity building.

It would be recalled that since the COVID-19 pandemic, the ILO had envisaged MINILS as the destination for sustainable on-site/online labour education for Nigeria and the West Africa sub-region and for Africa as a whole.

Aremu said the key highlights of the ITC/ILO Turin memorandum include technical support and assistance in the provision of learning services,  upgrading of MINILS’ training and distance (e-learning) programmes; enrichment of MINILS’ curriculum and learning materials for its advanced certificate and regular training programmes.

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Others include the development of institutional assessments and capacity development plans, improvement of MINILS’ online training capacity; digitalization of the MINILS’ library.

“On national capacity development, the collaboration also centres on the implementation of tailor-made training activities in Turin or in Nigeria for Nigeria’s trade unions, employers’ associations, government institutions, and other interested parties on industrial relations, policy and development issues.

“Critical training areas consistent with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu include Impactful social dialogue in Nigeria’s world of work; Collaborative leadership skills for social partners; Strengthening tripartism and effective labour management relations; Trade union administration and governance in an era of change and renewed hope; Effective administration and implementation of tripartite collective agreement by public and private institutions. The agreement also envisages staff exchange, exposure visits and experience sharing between the two institutions. The ITC/ ILO  Director Christophe Perrin and MINILS Director General, Issa Aremu signed on behalf of Turin Centre and MINILS respectively.

Aremu urged all labour market stakeholders to take advantage of the repositioned Institute to develop the capacities of their employees, administrators and executive officers for an effective, efficient and productive workforce.

The ILO director general, Gilbert  Houngbo  hailed the new pact for expanded labour  educational service delivery for MINILS “as a significant milestone for labour education in Nigeria and West Africa.”