Ngige, Keyamo commence review of labour bills
By Eunice Usman
The Federal Government has commenced the review of the National Labour Bills in collaboration with its social partners to ensure best practice in Labour administration and decent work in line with international Labour standard.
At a 3 day retreat organized by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Dr. Chris Ngige, recalled that in August 2001, the International Labour Organization, ILO launched the Nigeria Declaration Project, NIDEC in a bid to promote democracy through fundamental principles of the right at work.
According
to Ngige, the main focus of the project were in two folds, firstly to fund the
review of Nigeria’s extant Labour Laws and secondly to strengthen local
capacity to adopt a tripartite approach to the resolution of Labour issues
through social dialogue.
The Minister identified the bills to be reviewed as elimination of sexual
harassment in the work place, Labour migration, elimination of child Labour,
the promotion of gender equality, occupational safety and health.
Other bills expected to be tinkered with by the stakeholders are bills dealing
with the restructuring of existing institutions like the Industrial Arbitration
Panel, IAP, The National Labour Advisory Council, NLAC, and the office of the
Registrar of Trade Union to ensure better and effective performance.
Like all Labour legislation crafted in line with International Labour
Standards, it is expected, according to the Minister that at the end of the
process, the bills to be developed for enactment will promote right of work,
encourage development opportunities for women and men in conditions of freedom,
equity, security of human dignity and enhanced social protection for Nigerian
workers.
Ngige reiterated the fact that the present administration under the leadership
of President Muhammadu Buhari is unequivocally poised to promote healthy
working conditions for Nigerian workers in line with International Labour standards.
He maintained that, “This government recognizes that a stable and
harmonious industrial relations climate and decent work for all are critical
instruments for achieving the Economic Recovery Growth Plan, ERG 2017-2020, the
realization of the goals and targets of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals,
SDGs in terms of creating more jobs, improving livelihoods and ensuring
sustainable development in Nigeria”.
Speaking at the evnt, Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus
Keyamo, SAN, noted that the review of the bills and subsequent enactment into
law by the National Assembly would bring sanity to the workplace and create
conducive industrial relation climate for peaceful co-existence between the
employees and the employers of Labour.
Present at the retreat were the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour
and Employment, Mr. William Alo and relevant directors of the Ministry, Social
Partners as the Nigerian Labour Congress represented by its President, Comrade
Ayuba Wabba, its Trade Union Congress Counterpart, Comrade Quadri Olaleye, the
International Labour Organization and Nigeria Employers Consultative
Association, NECA.