The Senate has yesterday called on the employers of labour to relax age limit as their requirement for employment in Nigeria. The demand followed the adoption of the motion at the plenary titled; “Age Requirement Pre-condition for Employment in Nigeria, Urgent Need for Intervention” was sponsored by Sen. Abba Moro (PDP- Benue).
The Benue born Senator noted that age limit as precondition for employment violates Chapter 4, Section 42(2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which guarantees every citizen the right to freedom from discrimination and that is exactly what that condition is doing.
The lawmaker explained that it was pathetic for a Nigerian graduate in his own country could not secure a job because of his age
Moro debated that the provision of the International Labour Organisation, ILO, had defined employment discrimination in economic terms, as a violation of human rights that entails a waste of human talents with detrimental effects on productivity, and economic growth of the country.
He revealed that the singular action has culminated into socioeconomic inequalities that undermined social cohesion, solidarity and acted as a brake on the reduction of poverty.
The Senator revealed that for some graduate after failing to secure a job upon graduation and decided to go back to school with the hope that a higher qualification, vis-a- vis a second or Masters Degree could give him a better employment opportunity.
The lawmaker said, “The circumstances described in the foregoing present the predicament of the Nigerian youth who has the requisite qualification, knowledge, skills and is ready to work but disqualified or excluded on the sole and unjustifiable ground that he/she is above the age limit by reason of his/ her birth.”
Meanwhile, he urged the ministry to immediately draw up policies that relate to equality of opportunity and treatment in access to employment at all levels in the country.