and are rarely reported. This may be attributed to the laws that established
some of them, which seem to have shielded them from public prosecutions.
The massive privatization exercise being implemented in the country since the
return to democratic governance in 1999, is gradually addressing this problem, since most of these companies are being privatized.
5.2.4 The Federal Government established the Legal Aid Council to assist the poorer
members of the society in securing legal services. Through the Fundamental
Human Rights (Enforcement Procedure) rules of 2009, it also addressed the
issue of access to justice by the poor, by reducing the filing fees, and streamlining the procedure for human rights enforcement. In spite of all these, the
cost of accessing justice in Nigeria remains very high due to gaps in the location of courts and the fact that most individuals employed in conditions offensive to their human rights are usually too poor or ignorant to seek redress
against powerful employers. Government took cognizance of this and is building more courts in different locations to address the problem and bring the
courts closer to the people.
5.2.5 Most employers of Labour in Nigeria take advantage of the country’s high rate
of unemployment to employ workers under conditions that breach labour
laws and sometimes undermine their fundamental human rights. The Federal
Government of Nigeria is committed to liberating the populace, politically,
economically and socially. In this regard, the Legal Aid Council which helps the
poor to get justice and fair hearing in a law court has opened centers in different locations of the country.
5.2.6 The new wage Act may address the issue of underpayment but much is yet to
be done in the area of conditions of service and environmental impact assessment of the activities of corporations. The three tiers of government are
also addressing the problem of office environment as most public offices are
yet to match international standards in terms of environmental friendliness.
5.2.7 In the past, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) was seen as being driven by
philanthropy, but the present Government of Nigeria perceives it in a broader
perspective. Companies are now expected to be committed in developing pol75