NAN-H-117
Bill
By Cecilia Ijuo/ Naomi Sharang
Abuja, March 9, 2017(NAN) A Bill for an Act to Repeal the Factories Act to make Comprehensive Provisions for Occupational Safety and Health in Workplaces and for other Matters Connected therewith has passed second reading in Senate.
The Bill was sponsored by Sen. Duro Faseyi (PDP-Ekiti North).
Leading debate on the bill on the floor of the Senate on Thursday in Abuja, he said it would adequately protect factory workers in Nigeria, who were often exposed to industrial hazards.
“The risk and danger that workers are prone to in their workplaces have been on the increase.
“The bill seeks to enact additional provisions desirable to guarantee that workers are adequately protected in their workplaces.
“This will scale down the risk, dangers and accidents they are exposed to while carrying out their activities and to ensure the enhancement of their welfare and health.
“Their working condition, welfare and environment have continued to decline making the number of occupational hazards in Nigeria one of the highest in the world.
“Experts put the figure of reported industrial accidents in workplaces in the country at 200 on a daily basis.
“Records show that no fewer than 400 workers died in the power sector in two years while on official duties.’’
Faseyi further said that in spite of the frequency of fatal industrial accidents in the manufacturing sector, very little was done to protect workers’ rights.
According to him, the sad thing is that both the management and unions conceal cases of industrial accident and secretly negotiate compensation.
“This gives the management leeway to compensate the families of victims in both deaths and permanent disabilities with paltry sums.
“Equally painful is that workers who suffer major injuries like loss of organs, legs, hands are often dismissed by the management after receiving the paltry sums.’’
Contributing to the debate, the Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Sen. Shehu Sani said it was worrisome that Nigerian workers were not protected in spite of the hazards they were being exposed to.
He called for the passage of the bill to give workers legal backing in the event of any form of industrial accident in their work places.
After exhaustive debate on the bill, the Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu referred the bill to the Senate Committee on Industry to report back in four weeks. (NAN)
CJM/NNL/EEE
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Edited by Ese E. Ekama