Dr Chris Ngige, Minister for Labour and Employment has said non-passage of various labour bills by the National Assembly has been a major setback to better labour conditions in the country.
A statement by Mr Samuel Olowookere, Deputy Director, Press in the ministry, said Ngige made this known when he received Members of the House Committee on Employment,Labour and Productivity on Tuesday.
Ngige, represented by Dr Clement illoh, Permanent Secretary of the ministry, appealed to the legislators on oversight visit to the ministry to ensure passage of the labour related bills.
“The challenges confronting the ministry among others include the non-passage of pending labour bills in the National Assembly since 2006.
“The affected bills are those concerning the labour institutions and National Social Insurance Trust Fund(Ammendment Bill) among others,” he said.
Ngige emphasised the significance of National Assembly to the attainment of industrial peace and harmony among the nation’s working class for sustainable national development.
He also reiterated the importance of the ministry to national development, saying “it deals with human resources which is a vital element in the productivity of the nation’’.
The minister said the ministry had made tremendous contributions to the nation’s development, capable of attracting the attention of the House committee to fast-track effective service delivery by the ministry.
However, Enyewuchi Ezenwa, Chairman of the Committee, said the National Assembly placed high premium on the ministry because of its mandate to provide jobs for the teeming youths and maintenance of harmonious labour relations.
Ezenwa said that the committee came visiting to partner with, support and encourage the ministry through the assessment of performance of its 2016 budget.
He added that such information would help the national assembly to appropriate a budget that would lift the nation out of recession and provide jobs for the teeming unemployed youths.(NAN)