Ministry cautions employers against casualisation

THE zonal Director, South West, Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, Dr. Ifeoma Igweze-Anyanwutaku, has urged employers to desist from retaining workers as casuals for too long.

She reminded the employers that the law required them to retain casual workers for not less than six months, after which they were legally bound to either make them permanent staff or disengage them.

Speaking at the Annual General Meeting of the Chemical and Non-Metallic Products Employers Federation, the director said that denying workers the privilege to become permanent staff was tantamount to slave labour.

Igweze-Anyanwutaku urged them to promote peace and harmony with other stakeholders and maintain an atmosphere of industrial peace through continuous engagement of workers in social dialogue.

She said, “The issue of casualisation remains a great concern to the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity as the ministry continues to admonish employers against prolonged retention of workers as casuals or temporary workers as such a practice is against the nation’s extant labour laws. Aside the legal angle, there are also moral issues involved in such a practise as it is tantamount to exploitative and slave labour.”

“I urge you all as employers to ensure that in your various organisations, work is carried out under conditions that guarantee human dignity, a fair wage and safe, healthy and hygienic environment.