The Human Capital Providers Association of Nigeria (HuCaPaN) has called for development of a policy that would protect domestic workers.
The President of HuCaPaN, Mr Remi Adegboyega told nensmen in Lagos that such a policy would be in the general interest of the nation’s economy.
HuCaPAN is the umbrella organisation of registered/licenced recruiters in Nigeria.
The objectives of the association include developing and promoting standards and ethical practices in recruitment, deployment and management of outsourced personnel among service providers.
HuCaPAN was established to provide an interface through which government agencies and relevant authorities can effectively deal with providers of outsourced personnel.
Adegboyega said: “There is the need for the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment to develop a policy that will improve opportunities for formal employment.
“This is because domestic workers constitute a large percentage of the national workforce usually not recorded in the employment figures of the country.’’
The HuCaPaN president said that the policy should focus on data capturing of persons in domestic employment such as minders, shop attendants, gardeners and housemaids.
He said that the policy should also look at minimum age for such an employment which should take into account its tendency to deprive young people of primary education among other necessities.
“We need to examine the significance of domestic workers because they provide paid job opportunities for the society,” he said.
Adegboyega said that it was regrettable that domestic workers continued to be undervalued and invisible in demography of employed people.