The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Daju Kachollom, mni, has stated that work related accidents and diseases adversely affects the nation’s economy due to loss of GDP.
She stated this in Abuja in her Keynote address at a Symposium on the commemoration of World Day For Safety and Health at Work 2023 with the theme, “A Safe and Healthy Working Environment As a Fundamental Principle and Right at Work”.
According to Kachollom, the ILO estimates that some 2.3 million women and men around the world succumb to work-related accidents or diseases every year. This she noted, corresponds to over 6,000 deaths every single day.
She further stated that worldwide, there are around 340 million occupational accidents and 160 million victims of work-related illness annually.
According to the Permanent Secretary, studies have shown that young people between the ages of 18 and 40, in both formal and informal sectors particularly in the construction, manufacturing and agriculture sectors are more likely to be injured at work than older employees.
She also explained that this can be attributed to less on-the-job experience, coupled with inadequate supervision and training by employers, as well as non-provision of adequate and effective safety gear.
According to her, these deficits invariably exposes young persons to workplace risks and hazards which they are unaware of. Furthermore, she noted that young people are often assigned to more hazardous tasks than their older colleagues, thus increasing the likeli-hood of harm and possible fatalities.
She restated the commitment of the Federal government to implementing the provisions of ILO Convention 155 on occupational Safety and Work and recently ratified Convention 187 on Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health which are focused on improving the safety and health of workers through a National Programme on Occupational Safety and Health.
The Director General of Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA), Mr. Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde represented by Femi Samuel, an Assistant Corporate Affairs Officer in his goodwill message stated that employers have a critical role to play in ensuring that the workplaces are safe and healthy for employees.
His words: “It is our duty to provide a work environment that minimizes risk of accidents and illness, and to provide the necessary training and resources to enable our employees to work safely and efficiently”. He further noted: ” To promote a culture of safety in our workplaces and communities, we must work towards achieving the goal of zero accidents and illnesses in the workplace.
This can be achieved through the implementation of comprehensive health and safety programmes, regular safety inspections, and on-going employee training and education”.
There were also goodwill messages from the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) as well as some non governmental organisations.
Earlier in her welcome address, the Director, Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mrs. Adogu Lauretta, stated that the main purpose of the event is to redirect attention to issues and challenges relating to occupational safety and health, and to advocate for collective and sustained action of all stakeholders, towards entrenching a preventive safety and health culture.
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