The Nigerian chapter of IndustriALL Global has commended the contributions of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation to the development of youth in the country.
Speaking at the inauguration of Youth Workers Training, organised by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in Lagos last week, chairman of the Nigerian chapter of the global union, Comrade Goke Olatunji, said the youth workers’ training programme was a proactive strategy for repositioning trade union organisations at this time of instability in the world of employment.
He said, “It is a sufficient measure for equipping and developing trade unions’ capacities to respond to the numerous challenges of employment relations in the present time and times to come.
“The fear of the unknown and other constraints have made successive plans suffer setbacks in the labour movement and an adage says a tradition that abhors young ones’ participation shall in no time go into extinction.
“This is true of our current labour movement situation, which is a sharp deviation from the old tradition.
With this training, it is hoped that our history shall be reviewed, the trade union value and ethics, organising strategy, labour laws, gender mainstreaming and others shall equally form part of the training contents, thereby revitalising the labour movement once again.”
The chairman, who is also the president of the National Union of Chemical Footwear Rubber Leather and Non Metallic Products Employees (NUCFRLANMPE), equally appreciated the Friedrich Ebert Foundation for standing in the gap for the labour movement in Nigeria.
“I quite commend your efforts both technically and for supporting this cause with your resources. Thank you so much,” he said.
He charged the participants to take adavantage of the opportunity, emphasising that knowledge is power.
“Therefore, this training is to empower you so that at the end it will have positive impact on you and your various trade union organisations,” he said.
Olatunji equally commended the IndustriALL regional office for finding time to be in Nigeria for the inauguration of the youth training, stating that it showed the importance attached to members’ education by the global union: “I have equally been briefed of your meeting with women committee yesterday and the issues discussed at the interactive session yesterday. I assure you that the issues shall be accorded attention that they require,” he said.
Other affiliates of IndustriALL in Nigeria include PENGASSAN, NUEE, SEWUN, NUCFRLANMPE, NUTGTWN, NUPENG and CANMPSSAN.
