The Industrial Arbitration Panel (IAP) has resolved 21 industrial disputes between workers and their employers in Nigeria in 2022, with two still pending.
A statistics of cases obtained from the headquarters of the IAP in Abuja shows that the 2022 figure was higher than the preceding year of 2021 which successfully resolved a total of 19 cases.
The data further showed that the IAP Zonal Offices in Lagos, Kano, Taraba and Abia handled five, four, two and three cases respectively in 2022 while in the previous year, Lagos handled four, Kano, three; Taraba and Abia, two each,
The national headquarters has handled the highest number of cases in the last two years with seven in 2022 and five in 2021, while Lagos had the least with five in 2022 and four only in the previous year. In 2021 the other zones handled thus: Kano four, Abia and Taraba two each
The two pending cases from 2022 are in Lagos.
The document further showed that in 2022, the longest case which lasted for 30 days was between the Senior Association of Statutory Corporation and Government Companies (SSASCGOC) and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).
According to the IAP mandate, a case must be resolved within 30 days, however, as the SSASCGOC and NIMC dragged on, the Labour Minister Chris Ngige approved 21 days more to enable the panel resolve the dispute amicably.
It was also learnt that case no – IAP/HB/3918 between R.T Communication Nigeria Limited and the Nigerian Union of {Postal and Telecommunications Employees (NUPTE) was the case that took the least time frame in 2022 the year under review.
The document further showed that the Petroleum and Natural Gas Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) is the union that had appeared most before the IAP. The PENGASSAN had appeared three times in 2020, 2021 and 2022 contesting issues with …. (name of the opponents).
The Industrial Arbitration Panel was established by the Trade Disputes Arbitration and Inquiry Ordinance of 1941 as an Arbitration Tribunal and Board of Inquiry for the settlement of trade disputes. In 1969, the ad hoc status ceased with the promulgation of Decree No. 53 Trade Disputes Emergency Provision Amendment No. 2 which established the Industrial Arbitration Tribunal (IAT) as a Standing body is a parastatal under the supervision of Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.
By virtue of the promulgation of the Decree, the Industrial Arbitration Tribunal became an establishment with the duties of adjudicating trade disputes in both the public and private sectors of the economy. Its present nomenclature as the Industrial Arbitration Panel was introduced by the Trade Disputes Decree No. 7 of 1976 Cap 438 (Now cited as the Trade Disputes Act Cap T8 LFN 2004).
The Panel by virtue of the provisions of section 9(1) of the Trade Disputes Act Cap T8 LFN 2004 is established with the core mandate of Arbitration on industrial disputes between employers and employees of both the Private and Public sectors of the economy, upon referral of the dispute by the Minister for Labour and Employment.
In addition to its headquarters, industrial disputes are handled in its North West Zonal Office in Kano, North East Zonal Office, Jalingo Taraba state, South West Zonal in Ikoyi, Lagos and South East Zonal Office, Umuahia, Abia state.
The Panel has also received approval to set up more offices in Borno, Bauchi, Oyo, Anambra, Kogi, and Delta States.
The Chief Registrar of the Panel, Alhaji Ibrahim Ali Abdul-Hamid revealed that the case that had been recurring at the panel was the one that had to do with unfair labour practices.
He told the 21st CENTURY CHRONICLE that “some employers of labour were in the habit of preventing their staff from participating in Labour activities,” adding that the issue of collective bargaining has always set employers against each other which the IAP had to resolve.
He said “with the approval to open more state offices, it will bring adjudication to the door steps of litigants. It will also ease quick access to arbitration proceedings to litigants as well as reduce the risks of long trips to attend proceedings work load at the headquarters.”
The Chief Registrar explained that the IAP is bogged down by inadequate funding and the many lacunas in the enabling act, adding that it was in view of this that there is a plan to convert it to a full autonomous commission.
Alhaji Abdul-Hamid said “A bill by the International Labour Organsation ILO for the panel to become a commission to be known as National Commission for Industrial Arbitration is being fine-tuned for the Executive Council approval.
