By Binta Jaiteh
Abdoulie Jobe Minister of Petroleum and Energy representing the Minister of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment (MOTIE) yesterday presented Labour Bill 2022 before the National Assembly Members.
During the second reading of the bill, he said the Labour Act currently in force was adopted in 2007 with several gaps and loopholes identified.
Some of the provisions of the Labour Act 2007 according to the minister are outdated and no longer address the emerging challenges and problems in the labour market.
He explained that with the increasing rate of unemployment, the labour market requires robust and dynamic legislation that will deal with these complexities more efficiently and coherently.
“The transformation of labour relations within the enterprises does naturally challenge the enforceability of the current legislation and this calls for in-depth reform. As such, my ministry initiated a revision process of the current Act in 2019 based on
consultations with key stakeholders as well as recommendations from the International
Labour Organization (ILO), Trade Unions and Employers Organizations,” he revealed.
Labour Bill 2022 aims to provide for the administration, recruitment and hiring
of labour, protection of wages and registration of employers’ organization, trade unions
and other matters connected therein. The bill further aims at improving the
working conditions, maintenance of better industrial relations, safety and
health for decent work.
“However, the Labour Bill 2022 details the particulars required for the contract of employment with the revitalization of the Public Employment Services at the Department of Labour. Therefore, the introduction of the Labour Bill 2022 will require the repeal of the Labour Act 2007, while it is worthy to note that the Labour Bill 2022 conforms with all other relevant legislations and international instruments ratified by the Gambia such as the eight ILO core Conventions,” Minister Jobe told MPs as he presented the bill on behalf of the trade minister.