ILO and Nigerian Constituents observe World Day for Safety and Health at Work

Abuja (ILO News) – The commemoration whose theme was “Workplace Stress: a Collective Challenge” was attended by various stakeholders and participants from both public and private sectors. These were the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, the Federal Road safety Corp (FRSC), Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) amongst others.

In his goodwill message, the Director of the ILO Country Office, Abuja, Mr Dennis Zulu, pointed out the fact that many workers were now facing greater pressure to meet the demands of modern working life. He explained that Work-related stress affected workers in all professions in both developed and developing countries alike.

According to Mr Zulu Workplace stress could have a detrimental effect not only workers’ health but also, and all too often, the wellbeing of their families. High unemployment levels, particularly in the absence of adequate social protection measures had also been identified as having undesirable consequences for the mental health of workers, Mr Zulu explained.

With the pace of work dictated by instant communications and high levels of competition, the lines separating work from family life were becoming more and more difficult to identify. In addition, due to the significant changes in labour relations and the current economic recession, workers are experiencing organizational changes and restructuring, reduced work opportunities, increasing precarious work, job insecurity, massive layoffs and unemployment and decreased financial stability, with serious consequences to their mental health and well-being”..

In his keynote address at the occasion, the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator (Dr) Chris Ngige OON stated that the theme “Workplace Stress: a Collective Challenge” was apt against the backdrop of the stress at work becoming a common and costly problem in the workplace. He used the occasion to call for the active participation and collaboration of all stakeholders in the development and implementation of stress prevention programmes, saying “employers should assess the workplace for the risk of stress for its effective management and control”.

Alongside the ILO Country Director, Mr Dennis Zulu and other stakeholders, the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment used the occasion to launch the reviewed Occupational Safety and Health Inspection Checklist for the country. He stated that the checklist would help to strengthen the National Occupational Safety and Health Inspection system in accordance with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) standard.

The Minister pledged that Government “shall ensure the full implementation of the provision of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Section 17.3C, which is avowed to safeguard the safety and health of persons in employment”.