Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2008, published 98th ILC session (2009)

The Committee notes with regret that the Government’s report has not been received. It must therefore repeat its previous observation which read as follows:

Articles 1(1) and 2(1) of the Convention. Compulsory cultivation. Over many years, the Committee has been referring to section 8(h) of the Chiefdom Councils Act (Cap. 61), under which compulsory cultivation may be imposed on “natives”. On numerous occasions, it requested the Government to repeal or amend this provision. The Committee also noted the Government’s statement that the abovementioned section is not in conformity with article 9 of the Constitution and would be held unenforceable.

The Committee takes due note of the Government’s repeated indication that section 8(h) is not applicable in practice and that information on any amendment of this section would be communicated to the ILO in the near future.

As the Government has repeatedly indicated since 1964 that this legislation would be amended, the Committee reiterates firm hope that the necessary measures will at last be taken in order to bring section 8(h) of the Chiefdom Councils Act into conformity with the Convention and the indicated practice. It requests the Government to provide, in its next report, information on the progress made in this regard.

The Committee hopes that the Government will make every effort to take the necessary action in the very near future.