The ILO Emphasizes Social Dialogue in Legislative Amendment of Labour Bills in Nigeria.

ABUJA (ILO News): The International Labour Organization (ILO) has appealed to the Nigeria’s National Assembly (Senate and House of Representatives) to adopt the principles of social dialogue during the process of “preparation and implementation of legislative or other measures to give effect to the International Labour Conventions and Recommendations”. The statement was made by the Director of the ILO Country Office, Abuja, Dennis Zulu, during a Public Hearing organized by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja, on 23 April 2018.

Zulu stated that the ILO technical assistance to the labour review process sought to increase the involvement of its primary beneficiaries – employers and workers – throughout the process. He stated that the participation of employers and workers reflected the centrality of the principles of social dialogue and tripartism for the ILO in keeping with the Tripartite Consultation (International Labour Standards Convention, 1976 (No 144) ratified by Nigeria.

The ILO’s submission and participation in the Senate Committee on Employment, Labour and Productivity Public Hearing followed an invitation sent to the ILO to submit a position paper on six labour bills slated for consideration. The six labour bills include:

1. Labour Act CAP L1 LFN 2004 (Amendment) Bill, 2016 (SB. 229);

2. National Commission for Conciliation and Arbitration (Establishment, etc) Bill, 2016 (SB. 161);

3. Employee’s Compensation Act, 2010 (Amendment) Bill, 2017 (SB.170);

4. The National Directorate of Employment Act CAP N28 LFN, 2004 (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill, 2017 (SB. 144);

5. Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund Act CAP N88, LFN, 2004 (Amendment) Bill, 2016 (SB. 159); and

6. Occupational Safety and Health in Workplaces (Repeal) Bill, 2017 (SB.200).

All ILO constituents – Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment (FMLE), Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) - were effectively represented at the Public Hearing.

Speaking at the Public Hearing, the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. (Dr) Chris Nwabueze Ngige, acknowledged the technical and financial support of the ILO towards reviewing and updating Nigeria’s labour laws. He however, regretted that despite the support, Nigeria was yet to have labour laws that meet the realities of the time, and as a result of this, Nigeria had been queried by the ILO.

He appealed for more time form the Senate Committee on Employment, Labour and Productivity to allow the constituents go back and prepare their inputs in line with ILO’s principles of Tripartism and Social Dialogue. Despite the appeal, he informed the Committee that the constituents would still make their submissions at the Public Hearing and consult afterwards in line with the principle of Tripartism and Social Dialogue.

Other prominent speakers at the Public Hearing included NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, who requested the Committee insert a clause that demands employers to pay 15% penalty should they default in payment of salaries when due; TUC President, Comrade Bobboi Kaigama, who asked the National Assembly to prepare bills that are inclusive of all the parties recognized by law; and NECA representative, Bar Thompson Akpabio, who emphasized the need for the Committee to allow the tripartite partners to transparently undertake a review in line with the stipulated standards set by the ILO.

Other organizations that made submissions at the Public Hearing included National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Michael Imodu National Institute of Labour Studies (MINILS), National Productivity Centre (NPC), and Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC).