The Federal Government has called for improved safe and healthy working environment and conditions, especially in the informal sector, for the protection of both employees and employers.
A statement made available by Head, Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Olajide Oshundun, stated that the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Ms Kachollom S. Daju, made the call in Abuja, as she flagged off the stakeholders’ workshop on the Validation of Action Checklist on Strengthening the Capacity of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to produce high-quality Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and healthcare-related products.
Daju noted that a safe and healthy workplace would not only provide protection against injury and illness, but would also enhance productivity, which would ultimately lead to increased national economic growth.
She stated that the Nigerian economy “is grown largely by MSMEs, with about 80 per cent of employments in the informal sector, thus need to radically improve the nation’s safety and health culture to minimise work-related accidents and diseases.”
The Permanent Secretary, represented by Director, Occupational Safety and Health in the Ministry, Mrs Lauretta Adogu, noted that the checklist would assist MSMEs “in their response to the COVID-19 pandemic by assessing the risk to the enterprise and ensuring that the workplace is prepared for any future epidemic.”
Daju disclosed that the Federal Government, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and other social partners have been working together to strengthen the capacity of MSMEs, as well as raise awareness on “workplace prevention of COVID-19, and measures to ensure safety and health at work with particular focus on the production of PPEs and healthcare-related products.”
The Permanent Secretary enjoined the stakeholders to employ their professional and technical skills in deliberating on the checklist, to bring it in conformity with international best practices and to help the MSMEs minimise work-related accidents and diseases.
She stated that inputs from the validation meeting of stakeholders would add optimal value to the overall performance of National Occupational Safety and Health Management System in Nigeria.
Earlier, the ILO Country Director, Ms Vanessa Phala, stated that the Action Checklist on OSH would support enterprises in building a culture of safety and health at work.
She said, “Using illustrations adapted to the Nigerian context, the checklist provides an easy-to-use tool for MSMEs to review their operations in a number of priority areas, including the prevention of COVID-19.”
Phala disclosed that following the negative impact of COVID-19 on MSMEs globally, “the government of Nigeria and the United Nations system devised a project aimed at strengthening the capacity of local MSMEs and manufacturers to produce high quality PPEs and healthcare related products.”
She stated that the project has been working with about 174 local MSMEs across the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria, promoting safety and health at work among those and other enterprises.
Stakeholders at the workshop include Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), and Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
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