THE Senate has summoned Halliburton, Shell exploration, Mobil, the multinationals, construction companies and other oil giants operating in the country to appear before its Committee on Labour following the discovery large scale abuse of the expatriate and labour laws.
According to the senate, the action has become imperative following what it termed lack of labour laws, employment policies by these companies and alleged large scale abuse of expatriate regulations and other labour laws.
In a statement yesterday in Abuja, Chairman, Senate Committee on Employment, Labour and Productivity, Senator Wilson Ake who noted that over 60 percent of the major construction companies and oil giants have refused to comply with such labour laws, stressed that erring companies were expected to give details of their compliance to expatriate and labour laws .
According to Ake, the Committee at the weekend uncovered what he termed large scale abuse of the expatriate and labour laws in the country, and that no such companies found guilty at the end of the day would go scot-free.
The Committee alleged that some of the companies had failed to appear before the Committee with evidences of their compliance, adding that the Committee and by extension the entire Senate would no longer accept excuses from these companies.
He said that the action of these companies was contributing to the high unemployment rate in the country.
Senator Ake said, ” the Committee had received several complains and petitions from the general public and the civil society organizations concerning the operations of some oil and construction companies in Nigeria, especially on gross violation of vital Labour laws and employment policies.
” Some of these companies were invited to furnish the Committee with some information and also appeared before it.
“Some of those companies that appeared before the Committee were investigated based on their submissions. During the investigation, it was discovered that virtually all the companies have been operating with little or no regards to Labour laws, employment programmes and policies.
“Some have hidden behind the expatriate quotas to undermine the employment of Nigerians in areas they better are qualified and suitable.”
The Committee Chairman who noted that members equally frowned at those companies that have failed to respond to the invitation, however advised them to avail themselves the opportunity of doing so immediately as the Committee Secretariat will remain open even during the break period.
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