The Federal Government has called for the adoption of safe
practices in the workplace as preventive measures to reduce the
risk of exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr Festus Keyamo SAN, the Minister of State for Labour and
Employment, made the call on Tuesday in Abuja in commemoration of
the 2020 World Day for Safety and Health at Work with the theme:
“Stop the Pandemic’’.
Keyamo said that by adopting preventive measures such as good
hygiene, physical distancing, use of Personal Protective Equipment
(PPE), among others, the risk of exposure to COVID-19 in workplaces
would be reduced.
The minister said that 10 of thousands of workers had died from
the pandemic, while many still attended work ill-equipped and
without the necessary safety measures in place.
He called on employers of labour to ensure safe and healthy
working conditions, including managing the risks of exposure to
infectious diseases such as COVID-19.
Keyamo urged workers to cooperate with their employers, and
adopt safe and healthy work behaviours as part of their respective
statutory responsibilities.
“To this end, the employer must ensure good hygiene and
cleanliness of the workplace, implement physical distancing
measures, ensure training of workers on infection prevention and
control measures.
“They are also to provide the required personal protective
equipment in accordance with the guidelines that have been
stipulated by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC),” he
said.
He said that necessary administrative and engineering controls
must also be instituted as required to reduce risk of transmission
of infection in the workplace.
The minister however called for adequate infection and control
measures in all health facilities nationwide for the protection of
workers in that sector.
“They put their lives in line for others during this pandemic
and other health emergencies,’’ he said.
Keyamo said that the economic and social disruptions occasioned
by the pandemic had threatened the health and livelihood of
millions of workers.
“It has impacted negatively on the survival of most businesses,
particularly the micro, small and medium-scale enterprises which
constitute at least 70 per cent of the nation’s workforce,” he
said.
Keyamo however described the theme for the “2020 World Day for
Safety and Health at Work’’ as fitting considering the enormous
challenge which the spread of the COVID-19 had posed to
governments, employers and workers.
He commended the dedication and sacrifice of frontline health
workers in sustaining the fight against the pandemic across the
globe, and in Nigeria in particular.
The minister said that some had died in the line of duty.
“Government has duly demonstrated its support of the frontline
health workers through recent roll out of various incentives such
as life insurance coverage, and signing of a memorandum of
understanding for payment of various allowances,” he said.
He also commended the essential service providers such as
police, fire fighters, military personnel, petrol attendants,
tanker drivers, the journalists and others for risking their health
to provide those services.
Keyamo gave the assurance of Federal Government’s commitment to
ensuring safe, healthy, and decent work for all, and called on all
Nigerians to support the effort of government in stopping the
further spread of the COVID-19.
He stressed the concern of government about workers resuming
work in a manner that would sustain current efforts at suppressing
transmission of the disease.
Keyamo disclosed that activities planned for the commemoration
of this year’s World Day for Safety and Health at Work had to be
shelved in adherence to the guidelines on physical distancing and
ban on public gathering, occasioned by the pandemic.
Also Dr Ifeoma Anyanwutaku, the Director, Occupational Health
and Safety Department in the ministry, said that the theme for this
year was in line with the present global realities.
“It focuses on the role that safety and health measures can play
in stopping the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially as many
health workers are now getting infected with the disease,” she
said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the World Day for
Safety and Health at Work is celebrated yearly on April 28.
It is a day set aside by the International Labour Organisation
to focus international attention on the prevention of work-related
accidents, injuries, diseases and deaths globally. (NAN)
The Federal Government has called for the adoption of safe
practices in the workplace as preventive measures to reduce the
risk of exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr Festus Keyamo SAN, the Minister of State for Labour and
Employment, made the call on Tuesday in Abuja in commemoration of
the 2020 World Day for Safety and Health at Work with the theme:
“Stop the Pandemic’’.
Keyamo said that by adopting preventive measures such as good
hygiene, physical distancing, use of Personal Protective Equipment
(PPE), among others, the risk of exposure to COVID-19 in workplaces
would be reduced.
The minister said that 10 of thousands of workers had died from
the pandemic, while many still attended work ill-equipped and
without the necessary safety measures in place.
He called on employers of labour to ensure safe and healthy
working conditions, including managing the risks of exposure to
infectious diseases such as COVID-19.
Keyamo urged workers to cooperate with their employers, and
adopt safe and healthy work behaviours as part of their respective
statutory responsibilities.
“To this end, the employer must ensure good hygiene and
cleanliness of the workplace, implement physical distancing
measures, ensure training of workers on infection prevention and
control measures.
“They are also to provide the required personal protective
equipment in accordance with the guidelines that have been
stipulated by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC),” he
said.
He said that necessary administrative and engineering controls
must also be instituted as required to reduce risk of transmission
of infection in the workplace.
The minister however called for adequate infection and control
measures in all health facilities nationwide for the protection of
workers in that sector.
“They put their lives in line for others during this pandemic
and other health emergencies,’’ he said.
Keyamo said that the economic and social disruptions occasioned
by the pandemic had threatened the health and livelihood of
millions of workers.
“It has impacted negatively on the survival of most businesses,
particularly the micro, small and medium-scale enterprises which
constitute at least 70 per cent of the nation’s workforce,” he
said.
Keyamo however described the theme for the “2020 World Day for
Safety and Health at Work’’ as fitting considering the enormous
challenge which the spread of the COVID-19 had posed to
governments, employers and workers.
He commended the dedication and sacrifice of frontline health
workers in sustaining the fight against the pandemic across the
globe, and in Nigeria in particular.
The minister said that some had died in the line of duty.
“Government has duly demonstrated its support of the frontline
health workers through recent roll out of various incentives such
as life insurance coverage, and signing of a memorandum of
understanding for payment of various allowances,” he said.
He also commended the essential service providers such as
police, fire fighters, military personnel, petrol attendants,
tanker drivers, the journalists and others for risking their health
to provide those services.
Keyamo gave the assurance of Federal Government’s commitment to
ensuring safe, healthy, and decent work for all, and called on all
Nigerians to support the effort of government in stopping the
further spread of the COVID-19.
He stressed the concern of government about workers resuming
work in a manner that would sustain current efforts at suppressing
transmission of the disease.
Keyamo disclosed that activities planned for the commemoration
of this year’s World Day for Safety and Health at Work had to be
shelved in adherence to the guidelines on physical distancing and
ban on public gathering, occasioned by the pandemic.
Also Dr Ifeoma Anyanwutaku, the Director, Occupational Health
and Safety Department in the ministry, said that the theme for this
year was in line with the present global realities.
“It focuses on the role that safety and health measures can play
in stopping the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially as many
health workers are now getting infected with the disease,” she
said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the World Day for
Safety and Health at Work is celebrated yearly on April 28.
It is a day set aside by the International Labour Organisation
to focus international attention on the prevention of work-related
accidents, injuries, diseases and deaths globally. (NAN)