President Muhammadu Buhari said that his government will ensure that no employer retrenches or lays off workers without due process amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Buhari stated this in his Workers’ Day message signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, on Friday.
The message was read out at a meeting with Labour leaders via ZOOM by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige.
“I understand the anxiety which has plagued the minds of workers over the possibility of job losses due to the economic downturn caused by the pandemic and lockdown especially in the private sector,” Buhari said.
“In this regard, the government will ensure that no employer would retrench or lay off workers without going through due process of social dialogue, which includes consultations with workers and with the competent authority – Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.
“Furthermore, I had earlier put in place a Presidential Economic Sustainability Committee with the objective of developing a credible sustainability plan for repositioning the Nigerian economy now and post-COVID-19 crisis period.”
The President noted that the committee was required to specifically explore ways and means of growing the non-oil sector in a bid to minimise the adverse effects of the current crisis.
He added that the PESC would also examine how to protect existing jobs and create new jobs to help absorb the teeming army of the unemployed even before the crises.
