A former Director of Administration, Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies, Dr. Joyce Emuchay, has said lack of social amenities to guarantee employment and reduce poverty is one of the challenges to industrial harmony in the Nigerian business environment.

Speaking during a summit on the Nigerian business environment and its challenges for industrial harmony organised by the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria, Kwara State Chapter, in Ilorin on Tuesday, Emuchay said an unregulated economy left to market forces usually destroyed industrial relations.

According to her, a totally deregulated economic environment as envisaged by the country is a mirage, adding that labour unions should also recognise that globalisation was inevitable to development.

Emuchay identified other challenges to industrial harmony to include reduced influence of union leaders due to wastages, attrition and prevalence of younger and relatively inexperienced hands.

She also said another inhibiting factor was the rapid growth of non-governmental organisations competing with trade unions.

Other factors, according to her, are the deliberate anti-union tactics of employers, sub-contracting and out-sourcing of labour.

"Globalisation has eroded the bases of trade unionism namely, wage employment as sole means of livelihood. Take home wages cannot take workers home again. Most workers have other engagements to supplement wages from paid employment. Most workers in the growing sectors are not unionised such as in the banking and information and communication technology sectors," Emuchay said.

According to her, laisser-faire economic policies do not augur well for poverty eradication, adding that most workers in the country were poor.

She said since mid 1970s, poverty had been on the increase worldwide in spite of globalisation.

Emuchay said government subsidy on agriculture, health, education and social insurance needed beefing up as was being done internationally.

She said, "Labour needs to network with NGOs for relevance and contribution. It should demand for transparency and accountability in governance and business in Nigeria. Labour needs to demand for effective management of the national economy. It should be concerned about the poor shape of the economy because workers are the worst hit in an economic downturn.

"The Nigerian business environment is very versatile, dynamic and receptive to quick investment turnover and enterprise growth if business is done legitimately. However, the presence of frauds, political instability, get-rich-quick syndrome and sheer laziness have bedevilled the environment and subverted its growth. If these are addressed, all will be well."