In response to the escalating cases of abuse and exploitation faced by domestic workers in Nigeria, the Nigerian Senate has taken a significant step forward by advancing a bill aimed at protecting the rights of domestic workers and their employers.
Sponsored by Senator Hussaini Babangida of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) representing Jigawa State, the bill passed its second reading on Wednesday following a comprehensive presentation of its core principles during plenary sessions.
Senator Babangida emphasized the urgent need for legislative intervention, stating, “Over the years, there has been an increase in the incidents of assaults and abuse of domestic workers by their employers or hosts. These abuses ranged from slave labor, physical abuse, and sexual abuse among others.”
He further highlighted the vulnerability of domestic workers in the informal sector, noting, “They are unionists and they do not have a collective platform to speak for themselves and therefore remain ostensibly vulnerable and helpless.”
Addressing concerns about crimes involving domestic workers, Babangida pointed out, “On the other side of the coin, is the rise in the state of complicity of crimes committed by domestic workers mostly in connivance with other criminal elements of society against their employers or host. These bother on burglary, kidnapping, stealing of children, and sometimes outright murder.”
The bill aims to document and safeguard the rights of domestic workers while also considering the security concerns of their employers, particularly in rapidly urbanizing cities such as Port Harcourt, Lagos, Abuja, and Kano.
President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, referred the bill to the Committee on Labour and Productivity for further legislative inputs after it successfully passed its second reading. It is expected to return to plenary for deliberation in four weeks.
Also in a related development, a bill seeking to amend the Chartered Institute of Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) Act also progressed with its second reading at the Senate.
Presented by Senator Solomon Adeola (APC-Ogun), the bill proposes amendments to strengthen ICAN’s collaboration with other professional bodies and regulatory authorities, both domestically and internationally.
Adeola highlighted the necessity of updating the ICAN Act to align with the evolving needs of chartered accountants and the changing economic landscape. “The act empowered the Institute to set standards and regulate the practice of Accountancy in Nigeria,” he stated.
Following the second reading, the bill was referred to the Committee on Establishment and Public Service for further legislative inputs and is expected to return to plenary for consideration in three weeks’ time.
