Govt praised for efforts to curtail unemployment

On the occasion of the International Labour Day to be celebrated tomorrow May 1, the National Commission for the rights of man and freedoms (CNDHL) released a statement.

In the text, Dr. Chemuta Divine Banda, president of the CNDHL commends the efforts of the State in the crusade against unemployment, through the creation of "hundreds of thousands of jobs in 2014."

He appreciates the Government decision revaluing the inter-professional guaranteed minimum wage (Smig) F 28 816-36 275. The Commission is however, concerned that this measure was slow to produce significant results.

Therefore, it deplores the fact that decent work is not yet a reality in Cameroon; that international labour standards, which take precedence over national legislation, are not systematically applied; that all preventive health and safety measures to ensure the protection of the health of workers, are not complied with.

The CNDHL also regrets that in the vast majority of companies, the work is carried out in a discriminatory environment, without compliance with the Code of work and especially in the framework of policies that devalue the use.

CNDHL therefore, condemned the non-payment of wages in accordance with freely negotiated collective bargaining, dismissals, inhuman and degrading treatment of workers, harassment in all its forms...

Not without enjoying the theme chosen for this celebration: 'Building the future of Cameroon in peace, solidarity and decent work', the instance calls the Government and Parliament to revise the Labour Code, to extend social protection to all fields of activity, to raise retirement pensions and to reactivate the safety and health at work committees (CSST) created in 1993.

To Employers, the CNDHL asked them to enrol their workers to the CNPS, improve working conditions and respect the laws, texts and regulations in force in the field of labour.