Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2011, published 101st ILC session (2012)

Repetition

Articles 1(1) and 2(1) of the Convention. Compulsory agricultural work. 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.