Lagos Assembly moves to regulate artisans

The Lagos State House of Assembly is moving to place artisans and craftsmen under a formal registration and certification regime, with a proposed law providing for the monitoring of practitioners, consumer complaints and sanctions for poor or substandard services.

The proposed Lagos State Artisans and Craftsmen Regulatory Board is also expected to maintain a register of practitioners and create a framework for training and professional development across the sector.

The provisions emerged at a public hearing on the bill held by the Assembly’s Committee on Industry, Commerce and Cooperatives at the Lateef Jakande Auditorium on Wednesday.

Chairman of the committee, Tobun Abiodun, said the proposed law was intended to ensure that artisans operated as recognised professionals while giving customers a means of seeking redress when services fell below expectations.

“We want to ensure that they do the work and deliver to their customers. We want to ensure that they are well protected and have access to support from the government,” Tobun said.

He added that the framework would ensure that practitioners, including carpenters, woodworkers and plumbers, were registered.

“This bill also provides punishment for those who do not perform or do their jobs as expected. We would also set up committees to monitor the activities of members of the various associations of artisans and craftsmen,” the lawmaker said.

Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, Hon. Mojisola Meranda, who represented the Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, said the regulation was particularly significant because of the number of Lagos residents whose livelihoods depended on artisanal work.

“The importance of the bill is relevant as most of our people are artisans and craftsmen. It is to regulate and standardise the activities of our craftsmen, protect the interests of our people and regulate the activities of artisans and craftsmen operating within our state,” Meranda said.

She said the proposed board would also organise workshops and training programmes for practitioners, while consumers would be able to lodge complaints about their services.

“The consumers would have the right to complain about the activities of the practitioners,” she said.

Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Bankole Ajigbotafe, backed the proposed legislation, describing it as an attempt to bring greater structure to the informal economy.

“This is a good initiative. It is a commendable one. This reflects an intention for certification of artisans and craftsmen,” Ajigbotafe said.

He added, “We support the passage of the bill for identification, certification and economic inclusion of artisans and craftsmen.”

The Managing Director of Ibile Metropolitan Project, Deji Okunubi, meanwhile, urged the Assembly to ensure that the law did not create an overly narrow definition of who qualified as an artisan.

He called for mechanics, welders and hairdressers, among others, to be accommodated within the regulatory framework.

Okunubi also argued that regulation should work both ways by protecting consumers from poor services and artisans from unfair treatment.

“The bill should be crafted in such a way that it would protect the artisans and the consumers,” he said.

“There should be a way to check the activities of artisans whenever they are given any job,” Okunubi added.

Meranda said the submissions would be considered before the Assembly took further decisions on the bill, adding that the proposed framework already addressed the renewal of certificates and consumer protection.

“The rights of consumers would be protected. The House is willing to protect the interests of the people,” she said.