By Wole Adedeji, Ilorin
The Kwara State governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has asked that the Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies, MINILS, be elevated to a university and named Michael Imoudu University of Labour Studies.
Giving his reason for the request, the governor said the institute already has the infrastructures that most of the new universities of today have.
AbdulRazaq said this while responding to the remarks made by the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr. Festua Keyamo, who paid him a courtesy visit at the Ilorin Government House.
AbdukRazaq maintained that most universities of today did not have the kind of the infrastructures MINILS has, pointing out that the presence of Keyamo as a minister in the Labour Ministry has made the difference and that changing the status of the institute to a university would be one of the minister’s achievements in office.
The governor said,
“Most of our universities take years to put infrastructures in place, but the institute has crossed that hurdle already. That is one legacy that we will say you have achieved as a minister.”
He thanked the minister and indeed the Federal Government for appointing Comrade Issa Aremu, who is a Kwaran and a veteran labour leader as the Director General of MINILS.
Earlier, the minister had said that Governor AbdulRazaq is one of the most labour-friendly governors in the country.
Keyamo, who was on a working visit to the Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies in Kwara State, lamented the poor government-labour relations in most states of the federation.
His words, “We see how government-labour relations have deteriorated in most parts of this country, especially with many state governments and it has led to problems in those states. Thank God we have not witnessed that in Kwara State. So, we appeal to you to take full advantage of the institute and engage them in programmes.
“Similarly, we know it is a federal institution, but we want you to be magnanimous enough to give us a capital project and it can be named after you. We have so many needs there and we want you to assist us with any of them and we will be
very happy to see it to fruition.
“We are here to also say a big thank you Your Excellency, for the very conducive environment you have provided for this institute to strive and for making your door open for us.
“For the smooth functioning and growth of the institute, we appeal that you take full advantage of the proximity of the institute by encouraging labour unions and organisations here to go there for seminars and workshop.
“You can also send some of your aides in charge of labour relations to go there for refresher courses, because the more we develop our knowledge about labour relations, the more we can address labour related matters before they escalate.”
Keyamo was accompanied on the visit by Comrade Aremu, the MINILS Director General, veteran labour leaders, Alhaji Hassan Sumonu and Frank Ovie Kokori.
