KEMI OMONIYI
The Federal Government has launched the Occupational Safety and Health Action Checklist for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
Launching the checklist in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation (ILO), yesterday in Abuja, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, said it will help to empower entrepreneurs, workers, farmers, others to improve occupational safety and health working conditions in the country.
Keyamo, who was represented by the Director, Occupational, Safety and Health Department in the ministry, Mrs Lauretta Adogu, said that it was imperative as most MSMEs operate in the informal economy and often lack social protection, thus likely to suffer more devastating consequences from disasters such as the COVID-19 pandemic and workplace accidents
“According to the International Labour Organisation estimates, every year over 2.3 million women and men workers died at work from an occupational injury or disease leading to a loss of 4% of the global GDP.
“Over 350, 000 deaths are due to fatal accidents and almost 2 million deaths are due to fatal work-related diseases.
“In addition, 313 million workers are involved in non-fatal occupational accidents causing serious injuries and absences from work while estimates show 160 million cases of non-fatal work-related diseases occur annually.
“These estimates imply that work-related diseases represent the main cause of death at work killing almost six times more workers than occupational accidents.
“This highlights the need for a new paradigm of prevention: one that also focuses on work related diseases, not only on occupational injuries,’’ he said.
He also said that the MSMEs are vital to the economic development of a growing economy due to their dynamism, efficiency, faster decision-making processes, and tendency for innovation.
While noting that Nigeria, which is one of the largest economies in Africa, has over 37 million micro, small and medium scale enterprises (MSMEs), he said that it accounts for more than 84 per cent of the total jobs in the country and about 50 per cent of the nation’s GDP according to the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.
“It is generally acknowledged that a safe and healthy workplace not only protects workers from injury and illnesses but also reduces economic losses associated with ill health and accidents as well as boosts productivity and employee morale at work.
“Hence, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment through the Occupational Safety and Health Department actively ensures the safety, health and welfare of workers.
“This is protecting them against hazardous working conditions through monitoring and enforcement of the basic provisions of the Factories Act CAP F1 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004,’’he said.
He also noted that in recent times, the promotion of MSMEs has been a key area of intervention for the ILO as they are vital to achieving decent and productive employment.
“Over the last 25 years, the ILO has developed and implemented effective delivery mechanisms to improve Occupational Safety and Health and overall working conditions and productivity in small and medium sized enterprises including the informal economy.
“In this context it is important to mention the Transition from the Informal to the Formal Economy (1L0) Recommendation No. 204 of 2015 which requires Member States to ‘take immediate measures to address the unsafe and unhealthy working conditions that often characterise work in the informal economy and promote and extend occupational safety and health protection to employers and workers in the informal economy’.
“Therefore, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation is committed to empowering entrepreneurs, managers, workers and/or farmers to improve occupational safety and health working conditions.”
The ILO Country Director to Nigeria, Ms Vanessa Phala said that the COVlD-19 outbreak revealed a huge gap in operationalising OSH across the globe.
Phala, represented by Mrs Chinyere Emeka-Anuna in ILO Abuja Office, said there was pressing need to prevent the spread of COVID-19 as well as to support the competitiveness of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
According to her, the Government of Nigeria and the United Nations system has devised a project aimed at strengthening the capacity of local MSMEs and manufacturers to produce high-quality PPEs and healthcare-related products.
“The component of the project has a particular focus on capacity building in the areas of OSH, business development, financial services, and decent working conditions.
“Promoting safety and health at work among these and other enterprises can be an important contribution in ensuring a decent and productive work environment.’’ she said.
The annual World Day for Safety and Health at Work celebrated on 28 April promotes the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases globally.
