EHIME ALEX, Lagos
The Ogun State Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment said it is ready to partner the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on improving business environment and workers’ welfare in various industries across the state.
Commissioner for Industry, Trade and Investment, Mrs Kikelomo Longe, stated when the State Chapter of the NLC, led by Comrade Emmanuel Bankole, paid her a courtesy visit at the ministry’s conference room, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
Longe said the government remained focused on improving the ease of doing business in the state through the provision of more infrastructure, implementation of various investment-friendly policies, among others.
She, however, urged the labour union to provide the Ministry with information that can help improve the industrial sector.
She noted that the government has already started addressing the infrastructural deficit in the state through Public Private Partnership (PPP), stating that the Bureau of Electricity and Engineering Services (BEES) has also been working on a power master plan to improve power supply to industries, optimize various industrial parks, as well as promote local content.
The commissioner further stated that the State government has currently been engaging the Federal Government on the construction of federal roads across the state.
Speaking, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr Olu Aikulola, said the government is ready to collaborate with the labour union
He noted that the Dapo Abiodun-led administration has great trust in the Union, adding that the Ministry would not condone any act of economic slavery and infringement on the fundamental human rights of industrial workers in the state, warning that any company found guilty of such offence would face the full wrath of the law.
In a remark, the State Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Emmanuel Bankole, said the Union is ready to partner the State, in order to further improve on the investment environment, protect workers’ dignity and boost the State Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) by giving valuable information, which would help identify companies evading and under-paying taxes to government coffers.
The labour leader, however, called on the government to engage more of the union’s affiliates in the collection of haulage revenue, noting that government needs to improve infrastructure and implement various policies to boost industrialisation.