The House of Representatives on Tuesday urged the Federal Government to put mechanisms and policies in place with a view to ending the menace of casualisation of workers across the country.
The resolution was passed sequel to the adoption of a motion on the ‘Need to curb the scourge of casualisation of employment in Nigeria,’ sponsored by Honourable Adeyemi Adefisoye.
Adefisoye observed that casualisation of workers had assumed a worrisome dimension in private and public sectors with employers capitalising on the high level of unemployment to subject workers to servitude under deplorable working conditions.
The lawmaker, who expressed concern over the plight of millions of Nigerian workers, called for the House intervention with a view to ensuring dignity of labour.
He said: “The House also notes that statistics from the Nigerian Labour Congress indicates that many workers in the telecommunications, oil and gas, mining, steel, banking and insurance industries are on casual employment.
“The House is aware that Section 7(1) of the Labour Act, 2004 provides that no worker should be engaged on probation or temporary employment for more than three months.
“The House is also aware about the agitation by various stakeholders such as the Nigerian Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress and other Non- Governmental Organizations for the Federal Government to develop the political will to enforce compliance with decent and acceptable working environment in Nigeria.
“The House is worried about daily reported cases of workers who had worked for several years as casual workers or contract staff without being regularised and the gory details of foreign firms mostly Indian, Chinese and Lebanese firms physically assaulting and restricting the movement of their workers and exposing them to various industrial hazards.
“The House is further aware that the International Labour Organization recognizes the transition of employees from temporary to permanent employment within three to 12months of their contract but in one of its reports, Nigeria was grossly indicted on account of frequent termination of contract workers’ employment when they became qualified to be considered for permanent employment.”
While urging the Federal Government to ensure that employers of labour conform with internationally acceptable standards of employment, the lawmakers condemned the continuous and persistent casualisation of workers and the degrading treatment meted on them by their employers.
In his remarks, the Deputy Speaker, Honourable Ahmed Wase, praised the spirit of the motion as it seeks to protect the rights of the Nigerian worker.
In the bid to ensure effective enforcement of extant labour laws, the House mandated its Committee on Labour, Employment and Productivity to ensure compliance.