Nigeria’s decision to introduce a new National Occupational and Safety Plan for
workers has been described as patriotic and in line with global best practices.
The initiative was a grand design of President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to protect the well-being of Nigerians workers.
In a statement, the Tinubu Media Support Group (TMSG) said that this is a firm commitment by the President to improve national productivity and introduce a new policy redirection by introducing the National Occupational Health and Safety plan for Nigerian workers.
The statement signed by its Chairman, Emeka Nwankpa and Secretary, Dapo Okubanjo, TMSG said that the new plan will benefit Nigerian workers experientially and that it is a wake up call by the federal government.to its constitutional responsibilities.
The statement read in part, “The President Bola Tinubu administration has shown its readiness to ensure safety of Nigerians in the public workplace with the introduction of a 5- year National Occupational Health and Safety plan.
“It is a government-driven initiative that involves the protection of employees’ health from any hazard to which they may be exposed in the work environment
and we consider it important because it is bound to be an improvement on the 2006 policy which is outdated even though the country also has a National Occupational Health and Safety Act of 2012 in place.
“The National Occupational Health and Safety plan which is to be implemented over a five year period from 2024 to 2028 is designed by the Tinubu administration to improve national productivity through a high level of health and safety measures in the public workplace.
“In the words of the Coordinating minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Pate who was represented at the launch, the new plan will guide how the health sector, alongside its stakeholders, respond to and manage work-related diseases, injuries, and accidents to improve the health, well-being, and productivity of all employees.
“We have also been told that the 5-year strategy was necessary because of the need to take stock of past experiences and build on what was achieved while also ensuring the involvement of all tiers of government, through the health sector.
“It is heartwarming that the Federal government has come up with a new strategy for occupational health and safety in the post-covid era and as well as a time of increasing industrialization.
“And for us, it is a good development that the plan would be driven by an accomplished, global health personality like the Coordinating minister for Health and Social Welfare who has been rolling out policies and programmes to transform the Health sector in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Tinubu administration.
“This is clearly what is expected from a government that is not prepared to enhance the welfare and security of its citizenry. We also see it as a reflection of President Tinubu’s social welfarist approach to governance.”
TMSG urged Nigerian workers to continue to support the Tinubu administration in its bid to ensure that the workforce is well motivated.