Justice Adejumo Advocates Improved Welfare for Employees at P&G Seminar

The President of the National Industrial Court, Hon Justice Babatunde Adejumo, has stressed the need for employers to provide a better working environment and welfare packages for the their employers.

Adejumo, who was the Chairman at the Annual lecture of Perchstone & Graeys law firm in Lagos last Friday, said in his opening remarks that the NIC has of recent been inundated with litigious cases of ill-treatment of workers by employers, inhumane welfare packages, sexual harassment in workplaces and insecurity of jobs.

The seminar organised by the law firm as one of its corporate social responsibilities had as theme ‘The Changing Face of Nigerian Labour Law Jurisprudence Vis-à-vis the Realities of a Developing Economy'.

The Lead Speaker, Hon Justice (Dr.) B.B. Kanyip of the National Industrial Court, led the discussion with his paper on “The Changing Face of Nigerian Labour Law Jurisprudence and What Employers of Labour Need to Know.”

Other panelists include Professor Chioma Agomo of the University of Lagos, Mr. Yinka Sanni, MD/ CEO of StanbicIBTC Bank, Mr. Dennis Zulu, Director, International Labour Organisation Office for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Mr. Olusegun Oshinowo, Director General, NECA and Mr. Folabi Kuti of Perchstone & Graeys.

Professor Chioma Agomo expressed concern over the rising incidents of sexual harassment in Nigeria’s workplaces, and the seeming incapacitation of the law to address the issue.

Having worked closely with the NIC since its inception in 1992 as a facilitator of many of the court’s programs, she admonished men, especially employers of labour, to be aware of the grave consequences of their acts, and that female employees should not feel shy or intimidated to report all such acts against their persons to the right authorities for prompt criminal action.

The seminar also addressed the vexed issue of gender discrimination in work places and the regulation of female workers' reproductive rights, liabilities of the employer in employee compensation, employers and intellectual property on patents, ADR in labour matters, statutory and legal provisions on termination, dismissal and pensions.