Lagos charges unions on soft skills, productivity

Lagos State governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, yesterday challenged labour unions in the state to be proactive for greater productivity.

He spoke at a five-day training programme for labour leaders in the state public service, titled: ‘Effective Management Strategies in Labour Relations Practice.’

According to Ambode, who was represented by the Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions, Dr. Benson Oke, in order to sustain the existing atmosphere of industrial harmony in Lagos and transform such it into greater productivity, labour unions must be proactive.

“All stakeholders must continue to exhibit this value by identifying and bringing to the attention of the appropriate bodies, all matters that may degenerate or fester into unmanageable crisis.

“Another value is the value of committing to a perpetual regimen of training and re-training of skills.

Many of these skills are soft skills. These are the skills that are not taught in formal schools but are essential to real life success and productivity. For a long time, it was considered impossible to learn soft skills. The good news is that any skill can be learned.”