- Senator Patrick Abba Moro emphasizes the negative impact on jobseekers’ prospects
- Lawmakers urge the Federal Ministry of Labour to promote equal opportunities
Lawmakers in the Nigerian Senate have taken a significant step towards eliminating age restrictions in job advertisements issued by employers nationwide.
The decision came after Senator Patrick Abba Moro, representing the Benue South Senatorial District, introduced a motion on the matter during the Senate session on Tuesday.
“It is pathetic that a graduate in Nigeria who could not get a job upon graduation and decided to go back to school with the hope that a higher qualification or a second or Master’s degree could give him a better employment opportunity is thrown into a career paradox when upon completion of his Master’s, he comes out to find that he is now above the age of employment and therefore not employable by the sole reason of his age,” Daily Post quoted Moro as saying while moving the motion.
Senator Moro argued that such discriminatory practices run contrary to Chapter 4, Section 42 (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He also emphasized the need to adhere to the guidelines set forth by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), which explicitly forbid specifying age requirements in job opportunities.
The senator pointed out that age-based discrimination has unjustly deprived many talented individuals of the chance to contribute positively to the nation’s economy. He stressed that Nigeria should not deviate from established global standards in this regard.
Drawing attention to the irony that individuals aged 30 can still serve in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Senator Moro expressed his concern about establishments deeming those over 30 as unemployable. He highlighted that such practices violate the fundamental human rights of job applicants.
In response to the motion, Senator Moro called on the Federal Ministry of Labour, Employment, and Productivity to promptly formulate policies that promote equality in employment opportunities.
Following extensive discussions during the plenary session chaired by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the lawmakers collectively adopted a resolution urging the Ministry of Labour and Employment to review and revise its policies to eliminate age restrictions in job advertisements throughout the country.
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