Lalong resumes office, promises to resolve industrial disputes

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, on Monday, resumed work at the ministry and promised to work closely with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) in resolving all industrial disputes in the country.

The former Plateau State governor arrived in the ministry alongside the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkiruka Onyejeocha, shortly after their inauguration by President Bola Tinubu earlier on Monday.

In a chat with journalists, the minister promised to work with organised labour on the new minimum wage and palliative measures put in place by the Federal Government to cushion the effects of the fuel subsidy removal on Nigerians.

He said the ministry would unveil detailed plans of the president’s vision for labour and employment in the coming weeks.

Some of the labour-related disputes inherited by the current administration include the unresolved agreements with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), among others.

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Lalong said: “On the relationship with the organised Labour, the government through the ministry shall work closely with the NLC, TUC and their affiliates towards not only ensuring that all pending industrial disputes are settled amicably but also addressing with strong determination the new minimum wage and other palliatives arising from the removal of fuel subsidy.

“I use this opportunity to specially convey the appreciation of Mr. President to the organised labour and Nigerian workers in general for exercising tremendous understanding and patience with the current situation.

“The government does not take this for granted and Mr. President has directed that we move on with negotiations to arrive at amicable resolutions that will make our workers overcome the current pains.

“In the coming weeks, we shall unveil detailed plans of President Tinubu’s vision for labour and employment and also spell out the role that the ministry and its agencies, development partners and Nigerians, in general, will play in actualizing it.”

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