Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2025, published 114th ILC session (2026)

Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81) - Gabon (Ratification: 1972)

Article 3(1) and (2) of the Convention. Further duties entrusted to labour inspectors. In reply to the Committee’s previous comment, the Government indicates that, in dialogue with the social partners in the context of the formulation of the draft Labour Code, the establishment of labour tribunals (conseils de prud’hommes) was not considered adapted to the national context. The Government adds that, in everyday practice, inspection should take up 60 per cent of the time of labour inspectors, and the provision of advice and conciliation the remaining 40 per cent. The Committee recalls the importance of avoiding overburdening inspectorates with tasks, which by their nature may in certain countries be understood as incompatible with their primary function of enforcing legal provisions (see paragraph 72 of the 2006 General Survey on labour inspection). The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the number of inspections carried out in enterprises by labour inspectors, and the number of cases of the conciliation of labour disputes referred to them.

Article 7. Training of labour inspectors. In reply to the Committee’s previous comment, the Government indicates that the training of labour inspectors in the principal training schools in the country, namely the National School of Administration (ENA) and the Administrative Careers Preparatory School (EPCA), has been suspended for over ten years. The reactivation of courses is under way and new curricula, which place particular emphasis on occupational safety and health, have been proposed and are awaiting validation. Taking note of this information, the Committee requests the Government to provide detailed information on the initial and further training provided to labour inspectors, including on the subject of occupational safety and health.

Articles 10, 11 and 16. Human and material resources and inspection as often and as thoroughly as necessary. In reply to the Committee’s previous comment, the Government indicates that the freezing of recruitment to the public service has been lifted and competitions have been organized in the ENA and EPCA. The Government is expecting a progressive increase in the number of officials and indicates that 80 applicants were accepted in the two schools in 2024. With reference to the availability of material and financial resources, significant budgetary resources are regularly requested from the Government by the ministerial department responsible for labour and action to combat unemployment, but the budgetary allocation is insufficient for the effective performance of the duties assigned to labour inspectors. In this regard, the Committee notes the request made by the Government for technical assistance. The Committee requests the Government to continue its efforts to ensure a sufficient number of labour inspectors for the effective performance of the duties of the labour inspection services. It requests the Government to provide information on the recruitment of new inspectors and on the total number of labour inspectors in service. The Committee also requests the Government to continue its efforts to ensure the availability to the labour inspection services of adequate material and financial resources for their effective operation. It requests the Government to provide information on this subject. Noting the request for technical assistance in this regard, the Committee hopes that assistance will be provided as soon as possible.

Article 13(2). Powers of labour inspectors in the event of danger to the health or safety of the workers. In reply to the Committee’s previous request, the Government indicates that intense labour inspection operations are currently being carried out and that the specific information requested will only be available in the reports prepared at the end of the year. While noting this information, the Committee requests the Government to provide information on the results of inspection activities carried out under section 267 of the Labour Code, with an indication, for example, of the number of measures with immediate executory force that have been taken by labour inspectors in cases of danger to the health or safety of workers, and in which sectors.

Article 14. Notification of industrial accidents and cases of occupational disease to the labour inspectorate. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that specific occupational safety and health measures are envisaged in the new Labour Code in sections 234 to 259. With particular reference to the notification of industrial accidents and cases of occupational disease, the Government indicates that the General Directorate of Occupational Safety and Health is in the process of adopting the following measures: (i) ensuring a clear and consistent definition of such terms as “industrial accident”, “occupational disease”, “incident”, etc.; (ii) establishing exhaustive lists of diseases and accidents recognized as being occupational; (iii) reducing the administrative complexity of declaration procedures, including through the use of model forms and digital tools; (iv) strengthening the role of labour inspection, including through increased resources and the further training of inspectors; (v) improving follow-up and evaluation systems; (vi) promoting a culture of prevention through the organization of awareness-raising campaigns and training for all the actors concerned; and (vii) organizing in-depth investigations for serious cases and establishing criminal and administrative penalties in cases of failure to comply with occupational safety and health requirements. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the specific results achieved in the implementation of these measures, including the number of industrial accidents and cases of occupational disease notified to the labour inspection services, the number of investigations launched further to such notifications and the penalties imposed in the event of failure to comply with notification requirements.

Articles 19, 20 and 21. Annual reports on the work of the labour inspection services. The Committee notes the reference made by the Government to section 286 of the Labour Code, which provides for the publication of the annual report by the end of the first quarter of the new year at the latest. The Committee notes that no report has been published or communicated to the ILO. The Committee once again requests the Government to provide information on the manner in which it is ensured in practice that local labour inspectors are required to submit periodic reports on the results of their inspection activities to the central inspection authority, in accordance with Article 19 of the Convention. It also requests the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure that annual inspection reports are published and communicated to the ILO in accordance with Article 20 of the Convention and that they contain full information on all the subjects listed in Article 21(a)–(g) of the Convention.