‘Provision of decent jobs can enhance Nigeria’s economic fortune’

Acting Head of Civil Service of the Federation Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan has said that the provision of decent jobs to meet human rights needs can enhance the economic fortune of a nation. She stated this while speaking at the public lecture and national dialogue organised by the Michael Imoudu National Institute of Labour Studies (MINILS), […]

Acting Head of Civil Service of the Federation Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan has said that the provision of decent jobs to meet human rights needs can enhance the economic fortune of a nation.

She stated this while speaking at the public lecture and national dialogue organised by the Michael Imoudu National Institute of Labour Studies (MINILS), Ilorin.

Dr Yemi-Esan, represented by the Provost of the Federal Training Centre, Ilorin, Mrs R. A. Adeyemi, described the theme of the lecture as timely and reassured participants that government was working hard to put in place appropriate policies and strategies to meet the people’s human rights’ needs.

“I want to reassure that government is on track in addressing the issues in relation to employment in the country. To achieve this, my office has initiated various programmes to transform and reposition the Federal Civil Service into a modern public service organization that provides world class service for sustainable national development,” she said.

The guest speaker at the event, human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, called on Nigerian workers to take advantage of revolutionary constitutional amendments to enforce their rights as guaranteed by the constitution, African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, International Covenant on civil and political rights as well as International Covenant on social, economic and cultural rights.

Falana stated that the third alteration to the Nigerian Constitution carried out by the National Assembly in 2011 vested the National Industrial Court with the jurisdiction and power to deal with any matter connected with or pertaining to the application of any international convention, treaty or protocol ratified by Nigeria with respect to labour, employment, workplace, industrial relations matters as well as international labour standards.

In his keynote address, chairman of the occasion, Justice Benedict Kanyip, acting president of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), represented by Justice Iyabode Kola-Olalere, Presiding Judge, Port Harcourt Division of NICN said rights inured to workers, especially under the fundamental objectives and principles of state policy under chapter II of the constitution, are now ordinarily litigable because of NICN jurisdiction over ratified conventions, treaties and protocols.