BE SAFETY CONSCIOUS
— FG warns employers of labour
From JOSHUA I. EGBODO, Abuja
The Federal Government has warned both private and public
employers of labour at all levels to be safety and health conscious
in order to avoid incidences of fire out - break and other
preventable accidents in the workplace.
Director, Inspectorate Department of Federal Ministry of Labour,
Mr. Paul Okwulehie who was represented by the Controller, Federal
Capital Territory Office of the ministry, Mr. Cletus Nnadi stated
this recently on the official safety and health inspection over the
National Action Committee on AIDS (NACA) building recently engulfed
by fire.
He said officials of the Inspectorate Department of the Ministry
visited (NACA) in order to carry out its statutory functions under
the labour laws as it relates to safety, health and welfare.
The Director Inspectorate, Mr. Okwulehie revealed through the
Federal Capital Controller that the most affected part of the
building was the Programme office under the Procurement Department
of the Agency, adding that a complete safety and health audit of
NACA should be undertaken to avert future occurrences.
He explained further that the Inspectorate needed sometime to fully
investigate the accident and warned that the Inspectorate was
stepping – up its inspection and enforcement actions to secure
compliance with extant labour laws, especially as it relates to
Occupational Safety and Health.
He warned that the Inspectorate would not hesitate to shut down
any workplace where the lives of workers are likely to be
endangered; and that no workplace will be spared not minding who
occupied them.
The Director said all fire detectors and alarms should always be
checked not minding that NACA is a tenant in the building, adding
that the security and safety committee of the Agency should meet
regularly to evaluate the state of Safety health and welfare of
workers and carry out safety checks.
The Director of Administration of NACA, Mrs Lami Smith who spoke on
behalf of the Director-General, Professor Babatunde Oshotimehim said
the damage was minimal as vital documents which could have paralysed
activities of the agency were not affected.
She disclosed that NACA Offices were not only computerised but also
insured; thanking the Federal Ministry of Labour for the inspection,
which she said was highly commendable.
In another development, the Federal Ministry of Labour has placed a
Prohibition Notice, ordering that no further reconstruction work
should be carried out in the premises where over 30 Nigerian workers
perished in an avoidable accident of collapsed buildings at Solomon
Lar Way, Jabi, Utako District of Abuja.
A statement by Samuel Olowookere, Chief Press Secretary in the
ministry quoted the leader of the delegation, Mr. Cletus Nnadi
directing owners of the premises to see the Director Inspectorate,
Federal Ministry of Labour for measures that they are expected to
comply with as contained in the Factories Act 1990, CAP 126 Laws of
the Federation of Nigeria, which also covers all workplaces in
Nigeria.
|
|
ALI OFFERS INCENTIVES
TO BUSINESSMEN |
