PHOTO: Cllr. Chalres Gibson, Labour Minister
By Augustine Octavius, augustineoctavius@gmail.com
The Ministry of Labor has officially requested the Liberia Chambers of Commence to provide 500 jobs for qualified Liberians in the companies and entities owned by members, threatening to take tough action if they fail to comply.
He said that government cannot be looking for jobs for Liberians when some of these companies are bringing in other nationals purposely to fill and occupy jobs that Liberians can do.
Minister Charles Gibson spoke when he delivered the keynote speech at the beginning of a two-day workshop organized by the International Labor Organization for leaders of trade, workers and professionals unions in Monrovia’s Paynesville suburb earlier this week.
According to him, there are so many jobs that are available Liberians but are been done by people from other countries in violation of the laws.
Participants at this week’s forum in Paynesville
Minister Gibson threatened to revoke the resident permits of heads of companies and concessions that will not cooperate with the government in providing jobs earmarked for Liberians.
“The regulations clearly provide that all vacancies are supposed to be published in the newspapers and other means for the information of qualified Liberians the opportunity to apply,” he said; adding “ that is not happening because these investors are interested bringing the people of other countries thus denying Liberians of the needed jobs.”
“We have been talking with the Liberia Chambers of Commence on the regulations and I hope that they will take them seriously because we will stop been linear with it.”
In remarks, the Country Coordinator of the International Labor Organization, Salif Massalay, underscored the need for trade and labor union leaders to advocate for the ratification and the domestication of the ILO conventions on equal work equal pay, child labor and the enforcement of the decent work act.
The ILO Country Coordinator cautioned labor and trade union leader to advocate for the passage of the international labor laws in Liberia.
The workshop, held under the theme: “Strengthening Institutional Capacities in Liberia for Ratification and Domestication of ILO Conventions,” brought together participants from the Press Union of Liberia, the Liberia Labor Congress, the Civil Servants Association of Liberia among others.