Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi SAN said on Tuesday Nigeria cannot afford to continue on the present trajectory of incessant labour unrest and strike actions.
Essentially, if indeed, we desire to grow our economy beyond the present state of our country.
Fagbemi stated this during the National Industrial Court’s new legal year ceremony in Abuja. He said attention should be given to cases bothering on the growing and worrisome trend of workplace discrimination and harassment of all forms.
“it is imperative that our judicial system, including the National Industrial Court, plays a proactive role in addressing these challenges” noting that in recent years Nigeria has faced significant economic challenges,including high unemployment rates, rising inflation, and declining revenue.
Whilst the court is expected to disapprove abhorrent labour practices, it must also sustain good human resource policies to engender discipline, diversity, welfare, and stability in public service and private sector.
By ensuring timely and efficient resolution of industrial disputes, the court can help to prevent disruptions to career progression, economic activity and maintain a stable business environment, the minister of justice said.
He said that to achieve this goal, the National Industrial Court must continue to invest in its infrastructure, human resources, and technology.
The court should also explore ways to enhance its efficiency through technological tools in order to reduce the backlog of cases. This may involve strengthening its alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.
We also need to undertake a developmental review of our extant trade union and labour laws, practices, and procedures so as to attune them with current realities and applicable ILO Conventions.
He enjoined the National Industrial Court to expand its jurisprudence to taking proactive steps through stakeholder engagements, in conjunction with the Ministry of Labour, to developing capacities of relevant stakeholders in order to prevent disputes from escalating and promote a culture of industrial harmony.