By Ubong Ukpong, Abuja

The Presidency yesterday, chided the National Assembly for hindering the intended good reforms in the labour sector by delaying the passage of Key labour bills.It therefore asked the apex lawmaking body to accelerate the passage of key labour reform bills seeking to reposition Nigeria’s labour administration system.

Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, conveyed the Presidency’s position on the matter, to the inaugural Policy Dialogue on the Legislative Agenda of the 10th House of Representatives, organized by Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), UK Aid and National Assembly Library Trust Fund (NALTF), in Abuja. He expressed optimism that the proposed bills when passed into law would create an enabling environment for robust investments, enhanced productivity and attainment of social justice.He said: “I make a passionate plea to the House of Representatives to facilitate the speedy passage of national labour laws. Listing among them are the Labour Standards Bill, Collective Labour Relations Bill, and the Occupational Safety and Health Bill.“When enacted, these bills will not only reposition Nigeria’s labour administration system, but will create an enabling environment for robust investments, enhanced productivity and attainment of social justice,” he added.In his remarks, Executive Director of Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), Barrister Clement Nwankwo, described the national dialogue as “a veritable platform for the robust articulation, analysis and appraisal of parliamentary activities towards a peaceful, prosperous, stable and sustainable nation.”The minister maintained that the House’s eight-point Legislative Agenda remains a contract with the Nigerian people and a roadmap in complementing the efforts of the Executive in navigating the nation out of turbulent waters to the safe shores of national economic prosperity. “The 10th House shone green flags as the beacon and the bastion of our democracy. It heralds a new era of purposeful alignment with global parliamentary best practices, benchmarked by the key indicators of strategic focus, measurable impact and parliamentary objectivity,” he stated.In his address, House of Representatives Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, who scored the 10th Assembly high in the area of enactment of critical legislations since inauguration from June 2023 till date, reiterated the House’s commitment towards promotion of parliamentary accountability, transparency, and a truly citizen-driven legislature.According to him, the 10th House was inaugurated in June 2023 when Nigeria was facing significant challenges, ranging from weak economy, pressing development and security crises, as well as frustrated populace who have lost hope in democracy’s ability to meet their aspirations.He, however, noted that the 10th Assembly, “from the outset, we pledged to regularly engage with Nigerians, report on our performance, and adjust our course based on the people’s feedback. Today’s dialogue is part of that promise, serving as a precursor to the upcoming Open NASS Week, where we open our doors to scrutiny and present our midterm progress. The goal of this event is not only to celebrate our achievements but also to candidly examine areas for improvement in the spirit of openness and democratic inclusion.Designed to deliver good governance, this agenda aims to restore hope in democracy for our people. The Legislative Agenda was not crafted in isolation. Following extensive consultations with key stakeholders, including Ministries and Agencies, civil society, and development partners, we produced a comprehensive roadmap to guide our lawmaking, oversight, and representation from 2023 to 2027.This approach allows us to fulfil our independent mandate while ensuring that our legislative actions support national objectives and address the pressing needs of our citizens.The Speaker argued that the House has “backed our plan with concrete implementation strategies. Each House Committee integrated the agenda into its work plans; we established clear milestones and key performance indicators to track progress, and we set up special committees to monitor and evaluate how well we are meeting our targets. We also insisted on better communication and regular reporting, which included requiring members to maintain functional constituency offices and report on their engagement with the public, ensuring accountability at every step.Some of the achievements recorded by the 10th Assembly include: legislation to modernise and strengthen the power sector, establish a long-awaited federal audit framework for greater financial accountability in government, and create agencies critical to effective governance.“We have also passed legislation to bolster security by improving the control of small arms and light weapons. Additionally, we have enacted laws to advance social welfare, including those promoting public health and addressing gender-based violence. Furthermore, we have enacted legislation establishing regional development commissions to further devolve more power to the geopolitical zones.