The Senate has resolved
to pass the controversial anti-labour Bill by Tuesday next week after the Bill passed its second reading and was referred to the committee on labour and Productivity which has scheduled a public hearing on the Bill today.
The Bill which though was severally stood down, came up as the last item on the Order of Senate business yesterday, but was not debated until after a closed door session that lasted almost two hours in which the lawmakers deliberated extensively on the conte-ntious parts of the Bill that includes the banning of strikes. The chairman, Senate committee on Labour, Sen-ator Bassey Ewa-Henshaw, cited the fundamental princ-iples of the Bill which he said includes complying with the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) Conventions 11, 87 and 98, pointing out that the Bill seeks to protect the interest of Nigerian workers.
Debate opened with Senator Tawar Wada and Abba Aji, saying that the Bill is not what the public assumed it is, adding that when it beco-mes law, it will give workers the freedom of choice and could join the labour union they want. However, Senator Wada cautioned particularly on the portions of the Bill that seeks to out-law strikes, noting that any attempt to ban strikes runs contrary to section 40 of the 1999 constitution.
Senator Olorunimbe Mamora, in his contributions, said that the Bill in its present form raises fundamental human rights issues, adding that the minister of labour has been given excessive powers. “One cannot outlaw strikes. It is a fundamental right that no law can outlaw.” He con-cluded his contributions by saying, “let us not be unde-rtakers of the NLC.”
At this point, Senate President, Adolphus Wabara, asserted that “such an intimidating statement will not be accepted in this Senate. Are you now saying we are kil-lers. We kill and bury. Senator Mamora then responded: “With due respect, if my stat-ement is offensive, I humbly withdraw it.”
Senate President, Adolphus Wabara who was apparently enraged by Sen-ator Mamora’s statement then directed the chairman of the Senate Committee on Labour and Productivity, to report to the Senate on the Bill by Thursday but the chairman pleaded, pointing out that they need not less than a week to complete work on the Bill.
Meanwhile, the NLC president, Adams Oshiomhole has written the President of the Senate, urging the National Assembly to accede to the wishes of the people by ensuring that the Bill is not passed: “We would take advantage of the public hearing to canvass the issues further”, Oshiomhole said.
Also, a letter yesterday by the clerk of the National Assembly, Ibrahim Salim, with reference NASS/CAN/166, addressed to the acting general secretary of the NLC, stated that the “need for staging a procession in the premises of the National Assembly does not arise as any Nigerian has the right to initiate and present a Bill to the legislature.”
The NLC had in a letter dated August 18, written to the leadership of both cha-mbers of the National Asse-mbly, requesting a peaceful procession to the assembly premises apparently to drive home its points to the lawmakers on why the anti-labour Bill must not be passed into law.
The National Assembly however insisted that the procession was uncalled for as the NLC would have an opportunity to make presentations if a public hearing is to be held on the Bill.
“Similarly, in the process of considering any Bill presented to the House, the House endeavours to org-anise public hearings so as to give the public the opportunity to express all shades of opinion on the subject matter before a final decision is taken by the legislature,” the letter said and advised the NLC to wait for the opportunity to participate in a national discourse on the matter without resort to any procession.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Rep-resentatives, Hon. Austin Opara, yesterday called on Nigerians to show more com-mitment to the anti-labour Bill by participating actively during the proposed public debate on it.
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