The Federal Government has called for improved labour administration implementation as a quick response to economic crisis.
Ms Kachollom Daju, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment, made the appeal at the Senior Officers Conference organised for the Professional Department of the ministry and its agencies on Thursday in Abuja.
The conference is themed: “Labour Administration in a Dwindling Economy: Issues, Challenges and Prospects”.
Daju said this in a statement signed by Mr Olajide Oshundun, the Director, Press and Public Relations, in the ministry.
According to her, improved labour administration implementation will go a long way in enhancing productivity and responding to the current economic crisis the world is experiencing.
She said that context in which International Labour Standards operate have changed fundamentally owing to socioeconomic challenges and developments, which has led governments to review their labour operating models to suit these peculiarities.
She said the country was currently passing through socio-economic changes and challenges of its own which could be attributed to the removal of petrol subsidy by the present administration, among other peculiarities.
“This current economic crisis has availed Federal Government, and the ministry by extension, an additional opportunity to redefine the role and working methods, as well as increase the profile of labour administrations as a key mechanism in crisis response.
“This year’s Conference theme is apt at this time when the nation is passing through some socio-economic changes and challenges, which currently can be attributed to the removal of petrol subsidy by the present administration.
“The current economic crisis has introduced an additional impetus for redefining the role and working methods, as well as increasing the profile of labour administrations as a key mechanism in the crisis response,” she said.
Daju also added that if the ministry and its agencies must remain relevant and effective, there is a need to strengthen the role of key players in coordinating elements of national labour policy.
According to her, that is vis a viz other critical government policies to achieve a holistic intervention towards achieving a healthy industrial climate.
“Furthermore, the new forms of employment relationships, owing to technology and artificial intelligence is a trend that we cannot shy away from if the future of work in Nigeria is to be safe guarded and the strategic objectives of the ministry, realised,” she said.
She also noted that Labour Administration System cannot effectively thrive if operated in isolation.
She therefore called for better inclusion within the public service so other critical programmes of government aimed at enhancing productivity in the service are mainstreamed into daily operations to ensure a holistic implementation.
Daju also said that the ministry had made remarkable strides towards implementing FCSSIP 2021-2025 and other Public Service Reforms.
She noted that the ministry had reviewed key policies like the National Policy on Occupation Health and Safety, Labour Migration and National Employment Policy, Upgraded the National Electronic Labour Exchange (NELEX).
“We have also resuscitated the National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC), received international recognition by being elected as the Chair of the Governing Body of the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
“We have as well as ratified relevant ILO conventions to strengthen labour administration in the country to meet international best practices,” she said.
She commended the principal officers and heads of agencies for all their contributions, urging them to continue to sue for effective and efficient service delivery in their day to day operations.
Also, Mrs Olaolu Olaitan, the Director Inspectorate, said that Labour Administration was operational in a rapidly changing environment characterised by dramatic economic, institutional and political transformations.
She noted that this had affected patterns of production, work organisation, employment structures and increased labour migration.
Olaitan said that these changes had also put government under pressure to reduce public spending whilst improving public service delivery adding to challenges labour administrators have to deal with.
She added that to effectively improve quality of service depended largely on the coherence of the National Labour Policy.
She also said that the objective of the conference was therefore to define ways to deepen labour administration services especially in a dwindling economy to improve the wellbeing of those in the world of work.