In a historic move to address workplace safety and health issues, the Nigerian government has called the country’s first-ever Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) conference.
Abuja, the nation’s capital, is hosting a two-day event with the topic “National Occupational Safety and Health Management System.”
In her keynote speech, Mrs. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Minister of State for Labour and Employment, emphasized the importance of the summit in promoting best practices in occupational safety and health, increasing awareness of workplace dangers, and encouraging collaboration.
Tackling OSH Challenges
In her address, Onyejeocha acknowledged the significant challenges Nigeria faces in OSH, including inadequate safety standards, limited awareness, unreported industrial accidents, and weak legislation enforcement.
“However, we are committed to changing the narrative by bringing together diverse stakeholders to promote the adoption of a safety-first mindset and encourage the development of a resilient safety and health culture in organizations and industries.
“This year, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment has lined up various activities for the summit to promote a safe and healthy working environment,” she said.
She emphasized the government’s commitment to transforming workplace safety by bringing together stakeholders to cultivate a “safety-first mindset” and develop a resilient safety culture across industries.
“This summit provides an opportunity to build a comprehensive, sustainable, and inclusive national OSH management system,” she stated, underscoring the importance of addressing mental health in workplaces.
Referencing the recently marked World Mental Health Day, Onyejeocha stressed the connection between mental health and productivity, advocating for supportive work environments prioritizing employees’ well-being.
Strategic Initiatives and Collaborations
The event features exhibitions, technical discussions, and paper presentations from safety experts. Key initiatives unveiled include the Nigeria Country Profile on OSH 2024, new regulations for construction safety, and a national emergency preparedness guide.
These efforts align with the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) agenda for decent work and workplace safety.
“The International Labour Organization (ILO) promotes workplace safety and health by focusing the attention of the populace on the magnitude of work-related accidents, injuries, diseases, and deaths on the impact on workers.
“The Federal Government is consistently taking proactive steps towards achieving a safe and healthy working environment through national programs, legislation, and collective agreements on occupational safety and health in line with the ILO agenda for decent work,” she said.
By providing technical and financial support for developing, ratifying, and effectively implementing pertinent conventions, policies, laws, and regulations, Onyejeocha praised the ILO for its role in promoting the improvement of occupational safety, health, and welfare of Nigerian workers. She claimed that this helped to ensure that Nigerian workplaces would continue to provide a safe, healthy, and enabling environment.
Ms. Vanessa Phala, the ILO Country Director, gave a presentation on the startling 2023 figures, which showed that there were 395 million non-fatal work accidents and over 3 million worker deaths worldwide per year as a result of occupational hazards. This increase, which represents about 4% of the world’s GDP, indicates a larger economic loss.
Phala stressed that preemptive steps might greatly lower workplace dangers and asked participants to work together to devise solutions to promote safer work environments.
Nigeria’s acceptance of ILO conventions aimed at raising safety and health standards was praised by her.
Indeed, it is since 1994 that Nigeria has been engaged in this systemic management approach with the ratification of Convention 155 and the adoption of its first national OSH policy which the implementation has enabled to bring progressive changes in improving the working conditions and quality at the different workplaces in the country,” she said.
Five-Year Strategic Plan for Health and Safety
In his speech, Professor Ali Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, presented the National Occupational Health and Safety Five-Year Strategic Plan (2024–2028), which was unveiled in Abuja on November 12, 2024.
By tackling work-related illnesses and accidents, the plan seeks to direct the health sector and enhance worker productivity and well-being.
In addition to increasing national and subnational ownership of OSH efforts, Pate urged stakeholders to build on prior successes.
A Vision for the Future
Organizations and stakeholders are anticipated to make concrete pledges as a result of the summit, advancing safety technologies and tackling new OSH issues.
“It is expected that at the end of this summit, participating organizations, governments, and stakeholders may commit to implementing new safety measures and enhance collaboration among stakeholders to adopt cutting-edge safety technologies and innovations to address emerging challenges of occupational safety and health,” Onyejeocha said.
