Ahead of the transmission of some key national labour bills to the National Assembly, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammadu Dingyadi, has appealed to the House of Representatives to facilitate a speedy passage of the bills.
The bills are the Labour Standards Bill, Collective Labour Relations Bill, Occupational Safety and Health Bill, Labour Institutions Bill and the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund Act, 2010 (to align with the Employees’ Compensation Act).
Others are the National Directorate of Employment Act 2004, the National Productivity Act 2004, and the Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies Act.
Making remarks at the Inaugural National Policy Dialogue on the Legislative Agenda of the House in Abuja, Dingyadi stated that the Ministry relies on the support of the leadership and members of the House of Representatives in its quest to ensure that Nigeria’s Labour Laws are in line with International Labour Standards.
The Minister explained that the bills, when enacted, would not only reposition Nigeria’s Labour Administration System, but would also create an enabling environment for robust investments, enhanced productivity and attainment of social justice in Nigeria.
Commending the leadership of the House, particularly the Speaker, Abbas Tajudeen, for convening the National Dialogue, Dingyadi said: “I must say it is a clear indication of your resolute commitment towards making a positive impact in our national development.
“The National Policy Dialogue is a viable platform for stakeholders to engage in meaningful discussions on critical issues which affect our great nation. This gathering has brought together policy makers, experts in various sectors, technocrats, and key players in diverse fields for this purpose.”
He described the Legislative Agenda of the House of Representatives as a veritable component of Nigeria’s blueprint for nation-building, as it offers a legal framework for whatever institutional mandates or strategies that were developed for implementation.
According to him, the Agenda not only serves as a roadmap, but also as an evaluative tool to determine progress, identify loopholes and lessons learnt, as well as provide a clear direction on the way forward.
The Minister said: “The Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment is particularly excited to be here. We see this as an opportunity to brainstorm on critical issues that impact our teeming youth, our workforce, employers, employer-employee relationships, Nigeria’s Labour Administration System, and the broad economy in general.
“The Ministry’s mandates, which includes enforcement of Labour Laws and implementation of policies in the areas of terms and conditions of employment, employment and job creation, occupational safety and health, protection of workers’ rights and vocational skills, are critical for national growth and development.
“It is in this regard that I make a passionate plea to the House of Representatives to partner with the Ministry to facilitate the speedy passage of the National Labour Bills which will be brought before the House in a short while from now.”
Dingyadi expressed optimism that the dialogue would strengthen the nation’s legislative framework, ensuring it is responsive to the needs of citizens and government’s priorities.
The Minister congratulated the House of Representatives on that laudable feat and reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to partnering with the lawmakers in building a prosperous and equitable society for all Nigerians.
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, described the Dialogue as a historic step aimed at fostering inclusive engagement, strengthening feedback between lawmakers and the public, and promoting transparency in legislative work.
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