The Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) has called for harmonisation of labour laws to boost stakeholders’ agitation for the nation’s labour administration.
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Its Director-General, Mr Timothy Olawale, made the call in Lagos on Friday, while reacting to the House of Representatives’ plan to amend the Labour Act.
The lower chamber of the National Assembly is planning to insert a clause to criminalise casualisation at the workplace and regulate the practice of outsourcing.
Olawale described the plan as premature, saying that the International Labour Organisation (ILO) standard required inputs of all social partners, including governments, labour and employers on any labour legislation.
“Over the years, NECA had frowned at casualisation because it is against the principle of decent work and international best standard and practice of ILO.
“We, in fact, frown at all practices that tend to treat labour as a commodity to be exploited.
“However, in as much as the association appreciates the concern of the lawmakers in ensuring decent work for all Nigerians, the bill is, however, premature.
“This is because ILO standards requires input of all social partners on any labour legislation,” he said.
Olawale also said that the bill was coming at a time the social partners, under the leadership of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, were currently reviewing the entire labour laws in the country.
According to him, the parties have just concluded a three-day retreat, under the chairmanship of the Minister of State, for Labour and Employment, Mr Festus Keyamo, to review the laws with the technical support of ILO.
“The highly successful three-day retreat witnessed all parties agreeing on most of the reviewed areas.
“The Labour Act, which the House of Representatives seeks to amend, is part of the bills that should be looked at entirely.
“Also, the act has been reviewed holistically in line with the international best standards and the conventions of ILO, which Nigeria, as a responsible country, ratified,” he said.
Olawale then, urged the lawmakers to consolidate their positions on the bill with that of the social partners through the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
This, he said, was to ensure a seamless legislative process for the bills.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the House had on March 3 passed for second reading a Bill seeking to amend the Labour Act to criminalise casualisation of workers in Nigeria.
The Bill, which seeks to prohibit engagement of casual workers beyond six months, was sponsored by Mr Olawale Raji of the All Progressives Congress, Lagos.
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