The federal government has announced Monday, May 1, as a public holiday to mark this year’s Workers Day celebration.

Interior minister Rauf Aregbesola announced this in a statement on Friday.

Mr Aregbesola noted that the holiday is in recognition of workers’ efforts in nation building.

“There is dignity in labour, we have to have dedication and commitment to the work we do because it is vital to nation-building,” said the minister.

He encouraged workers to imbibe the culture of productivity, saying “The end of work is productivity. It is productivity that leads to satisfactory provision of goods and services and wealth creation. It is therefore the path to national and individual prosperity.”

The minister urged workers to raise the bar of their trade in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s drive to improve the vehicle of governance and make all Nigeria citizens attain the greatest benefit from the nation.

Mr Aregbesola also praised all security agencies for the successes recorded in the fight against lawbreakers across the country, as he encouraged them not to back down but to put an end to criminal activities in the country whenever they arise.