By Victor Ahiuma-Young
THE Federal Government has sounded a note of warning to factory owners that it is currently repositioning to the check the excesses of factory owners and any one found wanting and violation safety laws would be prohibited and prosecuted.

Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Chukwuemeka Wogu, who spoke at a two-day seminar on “Safety at work ; Issues and challenges”,  in Benin City, Edo State, however noted that the issues of occupational safety and health at work were  collective issues and responsibilities for government, stakeholders, employers, and employees.

According to him, while the employers must provide the necessary safety tools\ kits as well as instruction for safe usage, the employees must comply with the instruction for usage to guard against workplace accidents or near- misses.

“The theme safety at work ; Issues and challenges is very apt because safety issues have become important in today’s work place, especially with the rise in accidents in places of work and business across the country. Occupational accidents may be small but can lead to life – altering results such as mutilation and even death.

I must commend the organisers of this seminar for the realisation that safety and health issues are very germane if Nigeria must attain the goal of being one of the 20 most economics by the year 2020. You are aware, my Ministry is responsible for the enforcement of the provisions of the Factories Act, 1990 CAP 126, laws of the Federation which regulates Occupational Safety and Health Standard, in our workplace in Nigeria.

This means that My officers in the Inspectorate Department are to carry out daily inspection of these workplace to enforce the provisions of the Act.

But they are facing a number of challenges. For example, the Act has been adjudged inadequate in scope and content to address the myriads of hazardous exposures especially in our informal economy.”

“This necessitated the review of the Act which was subsequently forwarded  through an Executive Bill to the National Assembly. It is my belief that once the bill is passed into law, the challenges faced by my Ministry in making Nigerian workplace safe would reduced.

However, it is important to state here that the issues of occupational safety and health at work are  collective issues and responsibilities for government, stakeholders, employers, and employees. While the employers must provide the necessary safety tools\ kits as well as instruction for safe usage, the employees must comply with the instruction for usage to guard against workplace accidents or near- misses.

“We are aware that some factories across the country are bent on making profits at all cost at the expense of safety and health of workers.

My ministry is currently repositioning to the check the excesses of occupiers by ensuring that regular inspection is carried out while workplaces which violate the law are warned, educated and where necessary Prohibited and Prosecuted.”