Innoson Chukwuma .
President Mohammadu Buhari, will tomorrow honour the President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote and 24 others for improving productivity in the country.
Apart from Dangote, and chairman of Honeywell Group, Oba Otudeko will also be conferred with the 2019 National Productivity Merit Order Award.
According to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, the winners in both Individual, and Organisational categories were chosen because of their contributions to productivity in the economy.
According to him, no nation can be self reliant and competitive in the international market without productivity improvement in all sectors of the economy.
“Productivity is indeed the most important determinant of socio-economic growth, wealth creation, employment generation and overall improved standard of living,” he said.
Ngige remarked that the role of productivity in nation’s development was why the Buhari decided to recognise individuals that have shown commitment to the overall socioeconomic growth and development of the nation in order to improve the standard of living of Nigerians.
Government, he stated was therefore conscious of the critical place of productivity in the realisation of the Next Level Agenda.
He explained that the decision of government to observe National Productivity Day every year was predicated on the need to stimulate productivity consciousness and reward innovation, creativity and hard work among Nigerians.
Winners of the Special Category Award is led by the President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, others are Mr Tony Elumelu and Dr Oba Otudeko.
Included in the individual category are Professor Ishaq Oloyede, former TUC President, Bobboi Kiagama, John Momoh of Channels Television, Sam Omatseye of the Nation Newspapers among others.
Seven organisations from farming, construction, Oil and Gas sectors were also named to be honoured.
Also to be honoured by President Buhari at the occasion is the founder of The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) and Chairman of the United Bank for Africa Group (UBA) and Heirs Holdings, Mr Tony Elumelu.
Elumelu will be conferred with the National Productivity Order of Merit (NPOM) Award by President Buhari, in recognition of his continuous hard work and total commitment to the empowerment of youths in Nigeria and Africa.
The award ceremony will be held in Abuja, Nigeria on Thursday, November 28. The NPOM Award was instituted by the Federal Government through the Ministry of Labour and Employment to honour deserving Nigerians in recognition of their hard work and excellence.