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Bimbola Oyesola
The Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) has described the attempt of the House of Representatives to amend the Labour Act by inserting a clause criminalising casualisation at the workplace and regulating the practice of outsourcing as premature.
The director-general of NECA, Dr. Timothy Olawale, stated that NECA, over the years, had opposed casualisation, as it was against the principles of decent work and international best standards and practices of the Internatiobal Labour Organisation (ILO).
“We, in fact, frown at all practices that tend to treat labour as a commodity to be exploited,” he said.
However, he noted that, inasmuch as the association appreciated the concerns of the Llawmakers in ensuring decent work for all Nigerians, the bill was premature, as the ILO standards require input of all social partners (government, labour and employers) on any labour legislation.
He said, “The bill is also coming at a time the social partners under the leadership of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment are currently reviewing the entire labour laws in the country and have just concluded a three-day retreat, under the chairmanship of the Honourable Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Olorogun Festus Keyamo, SAN, to review the laws with the technical support of the ILO.”
Speaking further on the need for a harmonised labour law, the NECA DG averred that the successful retreat organised by the Ministry of Labour and Employment with social partners witnessed all parties agreeing on most of the reviewed areas.
He said that the Labour Act, which the House of Representatives seeks to amend, was among the bills that were looked at entirely and has been reviewed holistically in line with international best standards and the conventions of the ILO, which Nigeria, as a responsible country, ratified.
Olawale urged the lawmakers to consolidate their position on the bill with that of the social partners through the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, in order to ensure a seamless legislative process for the bills, to bring about positive changes that stakeholders desire for the nation’s labour administration.
