Irish envoy wants renewed partnership to curb unrest

The Republic of Ireland Ambassador to Nigeria, Sean Hoy and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige have held a crucial meeting on the possibility of mutual partnership between Nigeria and the Irish people.

The ambassador, who described the parley between the two as critical and timely, also called for renewed social partnership to tame the rampant cases of labour unrest in the country, which is occasioned by the dwindling economy.

He commended the economic diversification efforts of the Federal Government as a concrete step to pull the country out of recession but called for stronger ties to enable Nigeria benefit from the Irish experience.

The Ambassador said “We are encouraged by this government, the determined efforts of President Buhari to diversify the economy, to invest in agriculture and other areas, to lessen dependence on oil, and import and pull the economy out of recession.

“When we had the meeting of ambassadors in Ireland in January, I told them we needed to renew our relationship with Nigeria to see if there is anything we can do to help or share together from our experience.”

He pointed out that tough times often give rise to adverse labour relations; but he added that Nigeria has strong factors of endowment as well as determined citizenry to surmount her present challenges.

In his response, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige said every nation passes through phases of development, “some good, others bad,” and that the determination of a people was always critical to pulling through such situations.

“Your country, Ireland has passed through a similar experience, a crushing recession and emerged from it.  Nigeria would learn from the doggedness of the Irish people and also emerge from recession,” Ngige said.

He added that labour relations in a depressed economy all over the world was usually frosty as a result of dwindling earnings on the part of workers and employers, stressing that the cardinal focus of the present administration was to stem down job losses in a situation where government was purely handicapped to create many new jobs for the expectant population.