Proposed Jail Term For Salary Defaulters, Futile Project – NECA

The Nigeria Employers Consultative Association of Nigeria (NECA)  has described the proposed Bill on jail term for any employer who fails to pay salary in six months, as mere fruitless efforts.

The director general of NECA, Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, while reacting to questions from LEADERSHIP on the Bill said: “It can be likened to Legislative recklessness.

“First, it is a known fact that labour related bills are institutional in nature and not individual-sponsored endeavours. Just like the labour laws, they are driven and promoted by the Tripartite, led by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.”

Moreover, Oyerinde noted that, “Secondly, the reviewed labour laws that are currently undergoing finalisation significantly addressed the issues being proposed as another legislation.

“Rather than embark on a fruitless activity that will yield no positive results, we will urge the promoters of the Bill to focus more on legislation that will improve the ease of doing business in Nigeria  and guarantee enterprise sustainability as a panacea to the rising unemployment rate in the country.”

It would be recalled that member of House of Representatives, Wale Hammed, a member representing the Agege Federal Constituency, Lagos State, came out with the Bill. If passed into law, it will carve a way for peaceful industrial peace between employers and employees as aggrieved workers can demand for payment of salary arrear.

The House of Representatives is proposing to criminalise failure to pay salaries by employers of labour and corporate bodies across the country.