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BY. DELE AILEMEN

Having been involved for most of my life in working class and progressive activism, and journalism nationally and globally, I must admit my hopefulness at the inspirational nomination of Hon. Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi for the Labour and Employment portfolio. These are simultaneously defining and trying times for President Bola Tinubu administration. Undeniably, the helms of the labour and employment is an existential artery for oxygenerating our national socio-economic health. The choice of President Tinubu for the phenomenal task of the ministry is vitally consequential.

After months of speculations and serial rumour, President Tinubu announced changes and rejuvenation in the federal executive council. In swift action, he named seven ministerial nominees supplanting five others. As expected, the ministerial-shake up has elicited energetic comments in the media and other platforms.

While some have vilified and minimized the efforts of Tinubu saying that the changes were not far reaching, others believe that the administration deserves commendation for the courage to effect potentially profound reforms.

Amid the cacophony of talks about the cabinet changes, there are indisputable silver linings of positivity; for the first time, since the birth of the fourth republic in 1999, Tinubu attached portfolios to the list of ministerial nominees for the Senate screening. With this audacious decision, the President has responded to the yearning of Nigerians who have clamoured for such feature in the nomination process in a way that enables the Senate to engage in direct interrogation and thoughtful scrutiny of every nominee.

To every discerning, and informed mind interested in national growth and development, the labour and employment portfolio is very paramount. In developed climes, necessary, and imperative details are devoted to who manages this strategic ministry in every administration. From empirical studies, countries like the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia conscious of the importance of labour and employment to growth and development ensure that whoever heads the sector must possess criterion fitting for necessary collaboration, and realistic synergies between the government, organised labour, and private sector.

For every Nigerian that has followed the distinguished public service career of Alhaji Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi, his choice as a ministerial-nominee by Tinubu is well-deserved. Also, his expected deployment to labour and employment is akin to putting a round peg in round hole. Indeed, it is apposite to commend Tinubu for the nomination which depicts his commitment, and determination towards having all-round, all-inclusive, robust, and results-yielding labour-government relations as necessary impetus for national development.

In his over four decades post-graduation career as a dedicated civil servant; consummate administrator; resourceful security expert; responsive lawmaker; altruistic politician; and serial philanthropist, Dingyadi has carved enviable niches for himself. Deploying boundless energies, bountiful courage, consistent candour, and ceaseless competencies in the discharge of every duty, assignment and responsibility, Dingyadi has recorded unblemished records of excellence, and achievements in his numerous services to the country, state, community, and humanity.

That Tinubu has found him worthy to oversee the labour and employment portfolio speaks volumes about his high-rating, and affirmation of his achievements as the police affairs minister, between August 2019 and May 2023 in the Buhari administration. That he is the sole nominee; from the last government to deserve a positive look-in confirms, in many ways the acknowledgement of his performances in the last administration, and recognition of his consistency, character, capabilities, and competencies.

From available records, Dingyadi is arguably, the best police affairs minister since 1999. Under his leadership, the Nigerian Police Force, and other agencies such as the Police Academy, Wudil; Police Training Colleges; and Nigerian Police Trust Fund witnessed improved operations, and service deliveries. Numerous initiatives were emplaced towards capacity building, ethical standardization, and operational sustainability of agencies under the ministry.

Under his supervision, the police affairs ministry posted many laudable achievements including:- presidential assent to the elevation of the Police Academy, Wudil to a full-fledged degree awarding institution; presidential assent to the establishment of the federal government Public-Private Security Fund; review, and upgrade of training curriculum for police institutions to align with contemporary policing realities; full implementation of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) at all agencies; establishment of the Interpol Cybercrime Reportorial Platform; commissioned the NPF Crime and Incident Database Centre; establishment of the NPF Cybercrime Control Centre; deployment of ICT-based apparatus at strategic commands and units in fighting crime; improved operational apparatus of the Interpol Cybercrime Unit; and launch of “NPF Rescue Me” application.

Dingyadi also ensured that officers, personnel, and staff of the ministry, and agencies benefited from various operational, empowerment, and welfare initiatives towards encouraging commitment, and service deliveries at all levels. These included:- construction, renovation and rehabilitation of police stations and barracks at FCT, Lagos, Gombe, Kebbi, Abia, Plateau, Edo, Ogun, Borno, Sokoto, Niger, Bayelsa, and other states; construction and rehabilitation of hospitals and health centres; provision of operational vehicles, arms and ammunition, and others; provision of intelligence equipment at Abuja Force Headquarters, and Headquarters Annex in Lagos; provision of medical equipment, kits, and other consumables; recruitment of about 100,000 constables through open, transparent, and credible processes; recruitment of young WASC holders into the Nigerian Police Academy, Wudil for Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) training; and many others.

Given his broad-based experiences, and multi-disciplinary competencies which has attracted national and global recognition over the years, Dingyadi is best-suited to be the labour and employment minister. As a top civil servant in Sokoto state where he rose to the position of Secretary to State Government; having functioned as Permanent Secretary in the Career, Special Services, and other strategic ministries, he had excellent working relationship with civil servants such that at no time did workers embarked on any strike action. As a federal lawmaker, he played useful roles in every legislative intervention with the organised labour. At the ministry of police affairs, labour unions, and workers had productive synergies with him. One is confident that leveraging on his manifested love for humanity, and the general well-being of people, Dingyadi would help advance smooth, better, and fruitful government-labour relations towards immense benefits to the Nigerian worker, and the nation.

* DELE AILEMEN, Co-Convener, 2002 Los Angeles (California)People’s Convention; and Chairman, defunct Bendel State Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists writes from Benin.