Labour Ministry Resolves 174 Trade Disputes In 2012,

The Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu,  said recently that the ministry had resolved 174 trade disputes out of the 213 labour complaints received in 2013.

He said this at the ongoing 2013 Ministerial Platform in Abuja.

Wogu said that the 174 cases were resolved through mediation and conciliation, 25 through arbitration while 14 similar cases were at various stages of resolution.

‘’During the period in review, we received hundreds of labour disputes from all the states of the federation, from all the unions operating under the labour administration system.

‘’Out of the total complaints received, 213 were labour complaints and trade disputes which we have handled properly and in conformity with the labour law and trade disputes Act.

‘’Out of the 213 cases, 174 of the declared trade disputes were resolved through mediation, conciliation and apprehension by the Ministry of Labour and Productivity. ’’

He said the ministry had also established an e-library assisted by the Bureau of Public Service Reform and the World Bank where it issued 150 new Recruiters Licences.

The minister said his ministry also launched a Code of Conduct for private employment agencies during the period under review.

He said that a total of 139,371 employed candidates participated in various skill acquisition training in vocational, technical and agric trades.

“It also provided 75,640 entrepreneurial skills acquisition for graduate of tertiary institutions and artisans; provided 4,379 trainees with soft loans to set up micro and cottage enterprises, provided 3,255 transient jobs for graduates of tertiary institutions.

“A job fair was undertaken in conjunction with National Directorate of Employment (NDE) during the period under review and offered 54,847 employment counselling services to the unemployed at various job centres.

“It engaged 100 participants on Enterprise and Finance Counseling Clinic (EFCC) while 150 women were trained under the Lady Chauffeur Training Scheme flagged by the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan.’’

According to Wogu, the NDE has also constructed three Agric Skills Training Centres (ASTCs) in Jigawa, Zamfara and Cross River States.

The directorate, he said, also rehabilitated 10 Agric Skills Training Centre in Abia, Ebonyi, Kaduna, Benue, Oyo, Kwara, Taraba, Delta, Ogun and Kano.

Wogu said that as at May 2013, the ministry had reduced job lost due to industrial accidents, injuries and sickness resulting in absenteeism at the work place by 9.5 per cent.

“This improvement was as a result of increased workplace inspection of 7,846 facilities as against 7,207 targeted for 2012.

“Consequently, 8.9 per cent increase in inspection was recorded. The number of accidents reported was 72 as against 360 targeted as benchmark. ’’