‘Why industrial relations is failing in Nigeria’

The Director General of the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA), Mr. Olusegun Oshinowo,  has blamed the collapse of industrial relations in Nigeria on a moribund and ineffective labour ministry in the country.
Oshinowo, who spoke at a stakeholders’ forum at the weekend, said the belief that anyone could just be appointed as minister of labour and employment without consideration for their area of expertise was hindering the performance of the ministry in discharging its roles.
“Labour relations is not seen as an area of expertise at the same level as health and finance that require technocrats at the political level to be at the helm of affairs,’’ Oshinowo said.
The director general blamed the situation on the dysfunctional structure of collective bargaining and lack of expertise and capacity to manage labour relations in the country.
He said outside the Ministry of Labour, there appeared to be an absence of expertise at the MDAs and the states to provide labour relations’ guidance and management support.
“It is very much doubtful if industrial relations is practiced at all at the state level. Unfortunately, this is also true of the union to some extent,’’ he said.
He urged government to recognise that industrial relations had collapsed and the need to revive it through proper restructuring.