Labour Ministry to partner National Industrial Safety Council over occupational hazards

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, has expressed his ministry’s readiness to continue to partner with the National Industrial Safety Council of Nigeria (NISCN) to ensure and promote occupational safety and health of Nigerian workers in their workplaces

Ngige made this declaration on Monday when he received on courtesy visit the newly elected executives of the National Industrial Safety Council of Nigeria led by its President Mr. Cletus Akhigbe

According to the Minister, as a partner, we will focus on ensuring that Nigerian workers are safe in their workplaces. I want to assure you that the Ministry of Labour and Employment will give you the needed moral and technical support to deliver on the mandate of the Council.

Congratulating the newly elected executives, Ngige tasked Akhigbe-led NISCN to be guided by the principles of international best practice by imbibing the spirit of tripatism as enshrined in the constitution of the council.

Furthermore, he advised the council to review its constitution and avoid ambiguities and misinterpretation that could be capitalised upon to derail the founding objectives of the council. “We will also throw you a challenge about your constitution, to look into areas of ambiguities and amend them, because this was part of the problem we had in the past as certain people tried to translate the constitution in a way to benefit themselves although it did not materialize,” Ngige counselled.

Speaking earlier, the national president of the council, Mr. Akhigbe stated that the council requires the support of the Ministry in order for it to deliver on its mandate of safeguarding the occupational safety, health and welfare excellence in Nigeria “ the new executive is fully aware of the fact that we may not achieve good success if we do not work with the Ministry, we assure you of our resolve to fully work with the Ministry to achieve occupational safety, health and welfare excellence in Nigeria,” the President said.

The National Industrial Safety Council of Nigeria was established by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment on May 26, 1964 with the mandate of promoting industrial safety and health in Nigeria in line with the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Convention 187 (Promotional Framework on Occupational Safety and Health).

Idu Jude, Abuja