The Senate is actively working to ensure the rights of domestic workers and their employers are well-documented and protected across the country.
Lawmakers emphasize that such documentation and protection would not only maintain comprehensive records of domestic workers’ identities but also uphold their fundamental human rights and enhance the safety of employers.
Leading the discussion, Sen. Hussaini Babangida-Uba from Jigawa North-West pointed out that many domestic workers in Nigeria are unregistered and not hired in accordance with existing labor laws. He stated that the proposed bill aims to protect both domestic workers and their employers by mitigating frequent abuses and incidents, such as cases where home helps harm their employers and steal from them.
Sen. Sani Musa noted that countries like the United Kingdom have strict regulations requiring specific procedures for hiring domestic workers. Additionally, Sen. Adams Oshiomhole highlighted the frequent abuses domestic workers face, including rape, harassment, and murder, with many cases going unreported.
Furthermore, the Senate moved forward with amendments to the 59-year-old ICAN Act, addressing outdated provisions like the nominal 100 naira fine for offenses, and a conviction on indictment that only incurs a fine of 1,000 naira. The bill, led by Senator Olamilekan Adeola of Ogun West, includes 26 amendments and insertions.
Concluding the debate, Senate President Senator Godswill Akpabio stressed the urgency of the amendments, which are crucial to addressing the backlog of over 50,000 applicants waiting to become members of ICAN.