APM Terminals Apapa has said that the Federal Government has approved the hiring of women to work the night shift in its terminal.

The concessionaire said this would further aid its efforts to promote gender diversity and inclusion within its organisation.

A statement from the concessionaire indicated that the Director, Trade Union Services and Industrial Relations, Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, Mrs. Omoabie Udeme-Akpan, signed the grant of permit order in January, based on sufficient physical provisions and the APMT’s robust maternity policy.

According to the statement, APMT filed the permit application in April 2018, adding that many qualified female employees over the years had indicated interest and willingness to work the night shift but that a provision in Nigeria’s Labour Act prohibits night work for women in an industrial setting.

It further stated that the ministry’s order also required the terminal to comply with the provisions of Convention 171 or the Night Work Convention of the International Labour Organisation, a United Nations specialised agency aimed at promoting rights at work, encouraging decent employment opportunities, enhancing social protection, and strengthening dialogue on work-related issues.