Law firm’s seminar harps on better employment relations in Nigeria

A seminar put together by law firm, Jackson, Etti and Edu, and immigration firm, Fragomen, has stressed the need for better employment relations in Nigeria.It situated the nexus among healthy employees’ ties, immigration and tax in the whole mix of energy and natural resources, fast-moving consumer goods and infrastructure.

During the event entitled, Managing Employment Relations and Immigration Issues: The Myths, Challenges and Solutions in Ikoyi, Lagos, the keynote speaker and presiding judge of the National Industrial Court (Lagos Division), Justice Benedict Kanyip, noted that employee relations had replaced industrial relations as a term for defining the relationship between employers and employees.

He said employee relations is seen as focusing on both individual and collective relationships with an increasing emphasis on allowing line managers for instance, to establish lasting relationships with employees.

According to him, “a positive climate of employee relations with increased employee involvement, commitment and engagement can improve business outcomes and contribute to employee’s well being.” The judge applauded the two firms for organising the programme, which he described as “timely because of the surge of interest in employment relations in Nigeria and a forum for dialogue among practitioners and stakeholders had become very crucial.”

The three-session event also brainstormed on the concept of triangular employment in labour relations and administrative issues with respect to visa on arrival in Nigeria. It also touched on application of international conventions, treaties, protocols and international best practices to employment issues and appellability of the industrial court decisions.

The gathering equally ruminated on the best ways in addressing the uncertainties besetting employment relations in the country. The programme was attended by immigration practitioners, human resource managers, local content specialists, tax specialists and regulatory authorities, including representatives of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Federal Ministry of Interior, Nigerian Content Development & Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and the Lagos Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) and other top players from the public and private sectors.