Observation (CEACR) - adoptée 2002, publiée 91ème session CIT (2003)

The Committee notes with regret that no report has been received from the Government for the fifth year in succession. It must therefore repeat its previous observation on the following matters:

In its comments made for a number of years, the Committee asked the Government to repeal or amend section 8(h) of the Chiefdom Councils Act (Cap. 61) under which compulsory cultivation may be imposed on natives. The Committee previously noted the Government’s statement that the above-mentioned section is not in conformity with article 9 of the Constitution and would be held unenforceable. The Committee also noted the Government’s indication that section 8(h) was not applied in practice and that information on any amendment of this section would be provided. In its report received in 1995, the Government stated that measures to change section 8(h) were evident in the new proposed Constitution.

The Committee therefore trusts that measures will be taken in the near future in order to bring section 8(h) of the Chiefdom Councils Act into conformity with the Convention and the indicated practice. It asks the Government to provide information on any 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.