ABUJA (Sundiata Post) – Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige has solicited the support of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) particularly in the area of skills and other expertise which both countries have in common.
Ngige, while receiving the UAE Ambassador to Nigeria, Mahmood Mohammed Almahmood, who paid him a condolence visit on the recent death of the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr. James Ocholi, appealed to the ambassador to activate the process of legal migration of skilled Nigerian middle level workers into their country under the International Labour Migration guidelines.
The minister, who was riding on the recent successful visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to the UAE to make the request said, “In consonance with the spirit of the relationship which exists between our two countries, and which the President has further bolstered with his recent official visit to the United Arab Emirates, and considering the series of agreements signed in the areas of trade, economic development, investment and industry as well as in legal cooperation among others, my ministry wishes to request that you activate the process of labour migration and employment into the UAE for skilled Nigerian workers.”
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The minister expressed his desire to export skilled middle level workers, whether they are carpenters, bricklayers, tillers, painters etc . “We want to export them officially under the International Labour Migration Organisation guidelines just like we are trying to do with Qatar. No doubt, we have high skilled Nigerian professionals like engineers, medical doctors, nurses and others already in your country but we want to push people from the middle cadre who have blue collar skills.”
Ngige further reiterated the common commitment of Nigeria and the UAE to fighting global terrorism.
“We are together in condemning terrorist attacks all over the world, especially in Nigeria where Boko Haram has destabilised the entire North East zone of the country, displacing millions and causing job losses. We seek the assistance of your country in rehabilitating the displaced and in reconstructing their communities,” he said.
In his remarks, the ambassador promised the cooperation of his country in the promotion of trade and other bilateral relations with Nigeria.
