House Of Reps In Probe Galore

SAN FRANCISCO, September 27, (THEWILL) – The House of Representatives is set to investigate the activities of a number of federal financial institutions and also probe the incidence of casualization and outsourcing of jobs in both private and public sectors of the economy.

On federal financial institutions, the House following the adoption of a motion by Chukwuemeka Ujam (PDP, Enugu), set up an ad hoc Committee to undertake the investigation and also proffer solutions on ways of streamlining their activities with a view of repositioning them for effective service delivery.

Ujam declared that the primary aim of establishing institutions like the Bank of Industry (BoI), the Bank of Agriculture (BoA), the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (SMEDAN), National Economic Reconstruction Fund (NERFUND), and the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) among several others has been defeated.

“It is of concern that despite the huge budgetary provisions being made for these DFIs over the years, their impact in stimulating economic renaissance is yet to be felt as these agencies have seemingly been unable to fulfil their statutory mandate, the resultant effect being the stultification of the nation's economic growth,” he said.

“I am however convinced that the current economic challenges being experienced in the country can be reversed within the shortest possible time if these DFIs are made to live up to their statutory obligations.”

The ad hoc committee has six weeks to report back to the House after the motion was unanimously passed.

On the issue of casualization and outsourcing of jobs in both private and public sectors of the economy, the House mandated its Committee on Labour, Employment and Productivity to investigate within six weeks and report back to the House for further legislative action.

This followed the adoption of a motion by Wale Raji (APC, Lagos), who noted that casualization and outsourcing of jobs negates the provision of Section 7(1) of the Labour Act that no worker should be engaged on probation or temporary employment for more than three months.

“It is however disturbing that some employers, especially in the banking and sectors, in an attempt to cover up their illegal acts, outsourced jobs to firms to recruit workers for them,” he said.

“We should be concerned about the negative effects of casualization on workers which lead to deprivation of employment benefits and lack of legal status thus making them dispensable at the convenience of the employers.”

Story by David Oputah