It was all moment of positive reflections at the Micheal Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS) today as Comrade Issa Aremu Mni marks one year of his appointment as the Director General (DG) of the Institute.
Members of staff, family and associates of the Labour Leader converged for a special walk and flexibilities, in what was termed “Celebration of one year of transformation” which also coincides with the monthly keep fit exercise, which was introduced nine month ago.
Speaking after a brief walk out and physical stretches, Comrade Aremu thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for giving him the opportunity to serve the country, while also appreciating both the supervising Ministry of Labour and Productivity for the support.
Stressing the importance of physical exercise, the astute public servant noted that optimal delivery is driven by an healthy brain which he said is best achieved through a constant and coordinated keep fit activities.
“Some of the achievements we recorded today is due to the support we have received from our staffers and most importantly, could be tied with our engagement in physical exercise” he said.
“This is the 9th edition of physical fitness which I think is very important because it has helped us to be healthy towards making strategic policy and intervention that has brought about the transformation we are witnessing today”
Aremu, who was fervently applauded for turning things around at the formerly moribund Institute stressed the need for a change of ‘mindset’ towards charting a course for development.
“We didn’t agonize the situation due to the decay we met in ground but have organized ourselves to change obscurity to visibility” said a one time Labour Party Governorship candidate who urged Nigerians to unite against the present challenges facing the country”.
In his own remarks, the former Secretary of Nigeria Football Association (NFA) and one time Coach of the Nigeria Golden Eaglets, Fanny Amun further stressed the significance of physical exercise, which he described as an antidote for healthy living.
Comrade Abdulwahab Adebayo Lawal, the Chairman of the Senior Staff Association (SSA) and Comrade Adebayo Roseline, who is the Chairperson of Non- Academic Staff Union (NASU) in their separate remarks commended the DG for breathing a new life into the Institute which was once a shadow of itself.
Among many other interventions, Comrade Aremu, since his emergence has overseen the construction and commission of new hostels with a clinic, Enterprise and Skills Acquisition Centre, remodelling of the Institute’s syllabus and championing the overhauling of the sporting facilities and activities.
As the institute prepares to celebrate it’s 40th anniversary, the DG revealed that a five years transformation agenda will be unveiled with the purpose of setting it on a sustainable path.
Among others present at the gathering are Brigadier General Kale Agbabiaka, Pharmacist Kale Ayo, Engr Kamila Wopa, Pharmacist Lanre Alege, Dr. Mahmood Andulkareem and Mallam Alarape Atanda, all of whom were given commemorative T-shirts by the Comrade and his wife.
