Labour ministry, ILO move to validate draft national policy on child labour

Towards the elimination of the worst form of child labour in Nigeria, the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, has directed the Inspectorate Department in his ministry to undertake specialized inspections of work places across the country to identify child labourers and enforce extraction.
Wogu gave this directive in Abuja on Friday when he declared open the validation workshop for the Draft Child Labour Policy and National Plan of Action on the Elimination of Child Labour in Nigeria.
According to him: “I have directed the Inspectorate Department of my Ministry to ensure that labour inspectors in all states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory double their efforts in carrying out specialized inspections across the country and where necessary enforce extraction of child labourers in workplaces in Nigeria.”
Speaking further, Wogu affirmed the commitment of the administration of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, to the elimination of child labour, especially its worst forms, in line with global standard, adding that appreciable progress has been recorded in that regards.
“Nigeria has made substantial progress in the fight against child labour, especially its worst forms with the update of our national legislation to tackle the menace of this scourge in the country,” the minister emphasized.
In his remarks, the United States of America Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Terence McCulley, who was represented at the event by the Political and Labour Officer, Brant Beyer, appreciated the effort of the Federal Government of Nigeria on the elimination of child labour, stressing that Nigeria now has the opportunity to make strides in reducing the number of child labourers in the country.
Brant said: “Nigeria continues to make progress against child labour.
“The United States Embassy Department of Labour has noted, in particular, Nigerian Government’s efforts in respect to the “Almajiri” Education Programme, the National Policy and National Action Plan will help Nigeria continue on its path towards development.”
Addressing the gathering, the Director, ILO Country Office for Nigeria, Ms. Sina Chuma-Mkandawire, affirmed that at the end of the workshop, two home-grown documents would have been validated.
Chuma-Mkandawire said: “By the end of this workshop, National Policy on Child Labour and the National Action Plan for the Elimination of Child Labour in Nigeria (2013-2017) would have being validated.”
She promised the continued support of the International Labour Orgainsation as well as that of the United States Government through its Department of Labour to the efforts of the Federal Government of Nigeria at eradicating the worst form of Child Labour.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Productivity, Dr. Clement Illoh, in his remarks, appreciated ILO and the United States Department of Labour for their consistent and continued support to the efforts of the Federal Government in tackling child labour in the country.
Illoh said: “My deepest appreciation to the ILO for its consistent and continued support to the Ministry over these years in tackling child labour in all its ramifications in the country. More importantly, this process would not have reached this stage without the technical and financial support provided by both the ILO and United States Departments of Labour to drive and consummate this process.”