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SEVENTH ITEM ON THE AGENDA

Other financial and general questions

Financial arrangements for a Commission of Inquiry concerning
the observance of the Freedom of Association and Protection of the
Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) and the Right to
Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98)
by the Government of Nigeria

1. At its present session (March 1998), the Governing Body will have before it a report of its Officers on the possible implementation of the procedure set out in article 26.4 of the Constitution, and the appointment by the Governing Body of a Commission of Inquiry to consider complaints submitted to the Committee on Freedom of Association against the Government of Nigeria. Should the Governing Body decide to exercise its powers under article 26.4 of the Constitution to appoint a Commission of Inquiry, financial arrangements will need to be made to enable such a Commission to proceed with its work.

2. The Programme and Budget for 1998-99 contains no provision for inquiries under article 26 of the Constitution. The past practice of the Governing Body has been to authorize supplementary expenditure whenever it has decided to establish a Commission of Inquiry under this article.

3. The procedures of such a Commission normally involve an initial session to settle procedural matters, such travel as is necessary to gather further information, and a final session for the adoption of the Commission's report. Resources thus need to be provided for travel, for the production and publication of the report of the Commission, and for supporting staff. It is also proposed to make provision for payment to members of the Commission of an honorarium of $300 per day. Based on this pattern of work, it is estimated that the cost of the Commission will amount to some $520,000. It is proposed that these costs would in the first instance be financed by savings under Part I of the budget and that, should this not prove possible, the Director-General would propose alternative methods of financing at a later stage in the biennium.

4. The Committee may wish to recommend to the Governing Body that, should it decide to establish a Commission of Inquiry concerning Nigeria --

(a) an honorarium at the rate of $300 per day be paid to each member of the Commission of Inquiry; and

(b) the cost of the Commission in 1998-99, estimated at $520,000, be financed in the first instance from savings in Part I of the budget, on the understanding that, should this subsequently prove impossible, the Director-General would propose alternative methods of financing at a later stage in the biennium.

Geneva, 24 March 1998.

Point for decision: Paragraph 4.