Stakeholders have expressed their concern over the widespread casualisation of workers in Nigeria, which they described as a form of modern slavery and exploitation.
They made their views known at the second edition of the Energy and Labour Summit organised by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).
According to data by the organised private sector, casualisation in Nigeria workforce is at 69 to 70 per cent of the nation’s workforce, mostly in the private sector, especially in the manufacturing, oil and gas, banking, construction, telecommunications, and hospitality industry.
They said the development contravenes Section 7 (1) of the Labour Act, Cap 198, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Speaking on the topic, “Casualization in the Oil and Gas, Finding Lasting Solution, executive director, NNPC Limited Pension Fund, Sole Abdullahi said the organised labour must find a way to unionise casual workers as part of move to end the trend.
Represented by the manager, NNPC Leadership Academy, Suleiman Suleiman, Abdullahi sought stakeholders collaboration to end casualization of nigerian workers.
Other stakeholders at the summit frowned at the development and agreed that casualisation of labour especially in the oil and gas industry was a serious problem that required urgent attention and action.
They also expressed their willingness to work together to end this modern form of slavery and restore the dignity and rights of workers.w
