ILO Commemorates the 2018 World Day for Safety and Health at Work in Collaboration with the Government of Nigeria

The Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment launches safety regulations under the Factories Act in commemoration of the 2018 World day for Safety and Health at Work with its theme; “Generation Safe and Healthy: Occupational Safety and Health vulnerability of young workers”.

Press release | 30 April 2018

 

ABUJA (ILO News) - The International Labour Organization (ILO), Abuja Country Office commemorated the 2018 World Day for Safety and Health at Work in collaboration with the Government of Nigeria through the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment. This year, as part of a joint global campaign, the World Day for Safety and Health at Work (Safe Day) focusses on the need to end child labour and to improve the safety and health of young workers.

In his statement, the Director, ILO CO Abuja, Mr Dennis Zulu noted that this year`s campaign aimed to accelerate action to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 8.8: “protect labour rights and promote a safe and secure working environments for all workers” by 2030; and SDG Target 8.7: “take immediate and effective measures to secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour and, by 2025, end child labour in all its forms”. “Reaching these goals requires renewed commitment and integrated approaches to eliminating child labour and promoting a culture of prevention on occupational safety and health, particularly for young workers” he said.

Furthermore, he highlighted the fact that all children had the right to be free from all forms of child labour and all workers have the right to safe and healthy workplaces. He noted  that Global estimates indicate that 541 million young workers (between the ages of 15 and 24) account for 15 per cent of the world’s labour force and sustain up to 40 per cent more non-fatal occupational injuries than  adult workers (workers older than 24). An estimated 152 million children (aged 5-17) around the world are in child labour, of whom 73 million perform work which is hazardous because of its nature or the circumstances in which it is carried out. He noted that many factors contribute to the high rate of work-related injury and ill health among children and young workers. What is certain is that much more can and must be done.

During the same occasion, The Honourable Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Prof Stephen Ocheni, revealed that Nigerian children had the right to freedom from all forms of Child Labour and the right to some level of education. He noted that all workers have the right to safe and healthy work places, and emphasized. ‘’It is, therefore, my hope that this World Day for Safety and Health at Workplaces will advance the required cultural change, which will put safety and health on the top agenda of every organization in this country’’ he said.

In addition, the Minister of State  informed the meeting that the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment had been involved in the development and subsequent review of policies, legislative and regulatory frameworks that are critical to achieving sustainable improvement in safety and health standard in work places, adding that, the Ministry was recently involved in the development of three subsidiary regulations under the factories Act, which has received the approval of the Federal Executive Council. Other prominent speakers at the commemoration included Mr. Bolaji Adebiyi, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Ms Adenike Adebayo-Ajala representing the Nigerian Employers Consultative Association and representatives from the Labour Unions.

The Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment also took advantage of the commemoration of the world safety and health at work day, to launch a number of safety regulations under the Factories Act. The regulations launched included the Lifting and allied work equipment safety regulation and the boiler and pressure vessel safety regulations to mention a few, showing its commitment to promoting safety and health in various sectors of the country.