Senate to prioritise passage of Occupational Safety Bill to check industrial hazards

The President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, says Senate will give accelerated consideration to the Occupational Safety and Health Bill (SB. 200), once the National Assembly resumes from its annual recess.

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Mr. Saraki announced this in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, on Saturday in Abuja.

He said that with Nigeria’s focus on economic growth through the greater participation of the private sector, it was necessary to update laws guaranteeing safety and health of Nigerian workers.

“The Occupational Safety Bill, which has gone through second reading, will help to ensure that millions of Nigerian workers are protected in the event of injuries in their workplaces,” Mr. Saraki said.

“This Bill will also put in place a legal framework that will develop and promote occupational safety standards that define the exposure limits to chemicals, other biological and physical agents.

“This Senate takes the health and well-being of Nigerian workers very seriously. They are the backbone and lifeblood of our nation’s economy.

“The bill also ensures that employers provide preventive mechanisms and procedures that will limit accidents and injuries at workplaces.’’

The Senate president also said that the bill would cover both the formal and the informal sector.

He stressed that it was time to check the largely unregulated practice of employers exposing hardworking Nigerians to dangerous and improper working conditions.

NAN