“HAVING interacted with Nigerian workers and their leadership times without number, I can say without fear of contradiction that the nation’s workforce is among the best in the continent.”

These were the words of Senate President Bukola Saraki to commemorate the international workers’ day, marked across the world on May 1.

Saraki, in a statement issued by his media aide, Yusuph Olaniyonu, said Nigerians workers have tirelessly contributed to the socio-economic development of the country, in spite of fluctuating economic realities.

“It is trite to say that workers are the mainstay of our nation’s economy, since no policy of the government, no matter how remote, will succeed without the commitment and collaboration of workers saddled with implementation,” the statement read in part.

“All that is left is to adequately harness their abundant talents and spirit of patriotism to further improve on the nation’s economic and political development through timely and adequate motivation, training and retraining.

“The public sector should work to ensure that the country realizes her potentials. It should eliminate tardiness, increase the level of discipline and strive to provide an enabling environment for the private sector to thrive with the resultant broadening of the scope of national prosperity.”

Similarly, the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, in a tweet on Wednesday, praised Nigerian workers for their “industry, sacrifice, resilience, and patriotism”, describing them as “the pivots and pillars of nation-building”.

Ben Murray-Bruce, Bayelsan businessman-turned-politician, encouraged Nigerian workers to keep hope alive and not give up on themselves and the country.

“There is light at the end of the tunnel. Things will get better for Nigeria,” he wrote in a Twitter post.

Also, Babajide-Sanwo-Olu, the incoming governor of Lagos State, in a goodwill message to workers, praised them for their resilience and ingenuity in contributing their quota to ensure things work. He urged workers to be proud of what they do as “there is dignity in labour”.

In his own “revolutionary” message to Nigerian workers, Shehu Sani, the lawmaker representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, charged the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Aviation workers to “devise ways of imposing ‘no-fly’ sanctions on any Governor or Industrialist or CEO who deliberately refused to implement the 30,000 minimum wage”.