The Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Chukwuemeka Wogu has said that the federal government will continue to accord priority to dialogue and democratic participation in resolving industrial relations challenges before degenerating to disruptive levels.

Mr Wogu said this while speaking at the ninth National Labour Relations Summit organised by the Michael Imoudu National Institutie for Labour Studies [MINILIS] in Ilorin.

The event which held at the hall of the institute was attended by labour leaders from different sectors across the country who came to partake in the summit themed ‘ Labour Laws, Institutional Reforms  and Development Process in Nigeria’.

Former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Modibbo Alfa Belgore who chaired the occasion, described the theme as well timed.

The Director General of the Institutie, Dr Niyi Olarewaju, who also spoke about the summit said that the annual event had been able to impact positively on labour leaders especially on the need to accord priority to dialogue rather than resorting to strikes.

Mr Wogu agreed with Mr Olarewaju and placed emphasis on government taking proactive measures in his address. He noted that the government had been able to resolve many industrial relations challenges by espousing dialogue and democratic participation, before they degenerate to disruptive levels.

He stressed that the willingness to engage the diverse actors and interests within the Nigerian industrial relations system, particularly labour and employers derives from the government’s attitude of regarding the actors as partners in development.