HuCaPAN Visits Ministry of Labour, Advocates Decent Job, Fair Regulation for Third Party Employment

By our Reporter

The Human Capital Providers Association of Nigeria, HuCaPAN, on Friday, visited the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Abuja and advocated for fair regulation of the third party employment industry. The team was received by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Yerima Peter Tarfa in his office.

The HuCaPAN team was led by its President, Mr. Remi Adegboyega who was represented by the Treasurer, Dr. Femi Ogunlowo.  Other members of the team were the Publicity Secretary, Otunba Tunji Balogun, Mr. Rex Bamidele, Mr. Isaac Omole, Mr. Ahmed Owolabi, Barr. Mojirayo Ogunlana and the Executive Secretary, Mr. Olajide Afolabi. In attendance from the Ministry were Director, Employment and Wages, Mr. John Nyamali, Deputy Director, Employment and Wages, Mr. John Akpan, Registrar, Trade Union, and Assistant Director, Employment and Wages.

In his address, the President of the Association, Mr. Remi Adegboyega appreciated the leadership of the Ministry and highlighted pivotal roles that the Ministry is playing in the industry.

He said that HuCaPAN has been enjoying tremendous cooperation from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment (FML&E) since its creation about a decade ago. “The partnership in the annual joint workshop has been robust and has significantly benefitted participants (members and non-members) in the area of capacity building and moving our industry forward. He added that HuCaPAN member-companies provides direct jobs to over three million Nigerians and pays about 1.5 trillion Naira as salaries and wages stressing that various forms of taxes are being paid to the government.” He added.

He noted that HuCaPAN has helped to reduce casualization saying that the future of work is outsourcing. He emphasised that HuCaPAN members do not casualise their workers.

While commenting on the Bills at the National Assembly (Senate and House of Representatives) and its effects on the operations of Private Employment Agencies (PEAs) in Nigeria, Adegboyega said “findings revealed that the Ministry and other critical stakeholders (including HuCaPAN) were not consulted during the preparations of these bills hence, distinguished Senators and Honourable members of the National Assembly did not have sufficient knowledge about the operations of Private Employment Agencies and its applications globally. He requested that the input of the Ministry and other critical stakeholders including HuCaPAN be required before transmission to the President.”

On the suspension of international recruitment; issuance and renewal of international recruitment licenses which has been in force since 2018, he said that the suspension has even allowed human trafficking, unethical recruitment and unsafe labour migration to take place. He said “the best thing to do is to put the right policy framework in place and urged that the suspension be lifted so that our members can get back to work.”

The President concluded his address by urging the Nigerian Government to ratify the International Labour Convention (ILO) C181 – Private Employment Agencies Convention, 1997 (No. 181) and accommodate it in the proposed Labour Act (Amendment) 2019.

In his reaction, the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Yerima Peter Tarfa thanked the team for the visit and the meeting. He appreciated HuCaPAN for acknowledging the modest work that the Ministry was doing while thanking HuCaPAN for the great work that the Association is doing stating that it was a very vital Association helping to supply human capital. He welcomed the team on behalf of the Honourable Minister.

He said that the Ministry has been working with Social Partners including the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC), and the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) among others to address the issue of casualisation. He stressed that the Ministry was willing and ready to partner with HuCaPAN to stem the tide of casualisation in the country.

On the Bills at the National Assembly, he said that the Ministry will have to have the details of the bills including the movers, the stage the bills are, and who to follow-up with among others.

On the suspension of international recruitment, he said that we are all aware why it was suspended but rhetorically asked if the suspension had achieved its aim. He added that more deliberate effort be made by all stakeholders towards lifting the suspension.

The Permanent Secretary said that Nigeria Labour Exchange  (NELEX) platform is at the centre of the Ministry’s policy. He said that “the Ministry would welcome position paper on how best to operationalise it” and advised that a Technical Committee be formed between the Ministry and HuCaPAN to address all issues raised at the meeting.

The Director, Employment and Wages added that the International Labour Organisation Convention 181 – Private Employment Agencies Convention, 1997 (No. 181) has been ratified by the government. He said that the Bills before the National Assembly cannot be carried into the Labour Law because the Labour Law is a tripartite law. He noted that the Ministry would however, keep tab on them.

The Ministry and HuCaPAN agreed to continue to work towards decent jobs for Nigerians.

Human Capital Providers Association of Nigeria, HuCaPAN, is the umbrella organisation of registered/licenced recruiters in Nigeria, also referred to as Private Employment Agencies (PEAs). The aims of the Association, among others, are to develop and promote International Labour Organisation (ILO) Standards and ethical practices in Recruitment, Deployment and Management of outsourced personnel in Nigeria.