Foremost labour leader, Comrade Issa Aremu, has warned that the frequent public holidays in the country are antithetical to the economic recovery policy of the Federal Government.

He said the effort of President Muhammadu Buhari led administration to revive domestic industries and attract foreign direct investment would be undermined if existing local industries are forced to close down for almost one week on account of religious festivity.

In a statement he made available to the media at the weekend, Aremu said the key to the nation's economic recovery is increased productivity, adding that the antidote against poverty is work.

The labour leader said imposition of what he referred to as "indiscriminate public holidays" undermines production in the private sector.

Aremu stated that the incessant attacks on oil facilities by Niger Delta militias and as well as power outage was fast portraying the country as unproductive.

He criticised Thursday July 7 extended public holiday as announced by the Interior Minister to mark the Eid-el-Fitri, observing that after Tuesday and Wednesday, Thursday additional public holiday was one "off-day too many for a country that is far behind in the global productivity/competitiveness index".

According to him, with only 48 hours working hours a week, almost 120 days rest days (inclusive Saturdays and Sundays) in a year , Nigeria has the highest number of public holidays in the world compared to Malaysia, China and Indonesia which work 52 hours-7 days a week.

"It was unhelpful that both the Federal state governments and even legislative arms impose indiscriminate public holidays that undermine production in the private sector. With endless outages and assault on gas facilities by militants, Nigeria is fast becoming an unproductive country.

"The real threat to our democracy is this idle capacity fed by official national shut down, called public holidays in whatever name.

"As a labour leader, forcing worker to rest with pay seems attractive but he added that "enlightened workforce know that rest without adequate income means glorified poverty.

"When we are working we are poor due to income inadequacy, is it when we are are compelled to rest through frivolous holidays that we get out of poverty? he queried.

In the same vein, Aremu said the clamour for political restructuring is not sustainable without socio-economic restructuring through urgent diversification of the economy as well as "revolutionary measures" to consciously bridge the worsening gap between the rich and the increasing mass of the poor Nigerians.

He, however hailed the multi billion Naira special social intervention projects contained in 2016 federal budget, adding that the provisions aimed at alleviating poverty among the poor were in line with the "Give-the-poor-spirit" of the just concluded Ramadan fast as well as social restructuring.

Aremu, who is also the Chairman of 50 million workers Industrial Global Union, Africa Region, commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the N500 billion social interventions in five areas, namely 500,000 teachers recruitment, 100,000 artisans, schools feeding for 5million school, conditional cash transfers to 1million poorest of the poor and education grant for 100, 000 students in science, Mathematics and engineering among others.

He also hailed the federal government for the prompt payment of monthly salaries of federal workers and called on the State governors to emulate the good example.