FG tasks stakeholders on elimination of child labour

The Federal Government has called on all stakeholders to partner with the governments at all levels in addressing the increasing phenomenon of Child Labour in the country.

Specifically, the Federal Government is seeking the partnership of market authorities across the country, and enjoined them to join forces with it and other partners in the fight against child labour.

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, William Alo, made the calls at different events marking the 2019 World Day Against Child Labour, in Abuja.

He spoke on the occasion of the Symposium in commemoration of the 2019 World Day Against Child Labour, in Abuja; and at a rally organised by the ministry as part of events to mark the day.

The theme for this year’s World Day Against Child Labour is “Children Shouldn’t Work in Fields but on Dreams”.

Speaking at the symposium, the permanent secretary told all stakeholders to take more practical steps to prevent child labour by addressing its root cause; which includes poverty, lack of basic education, among others.

To address the menace of Child Labour, the Permanent Secretary said governments at all levels needed to prioritize the provisions of free and qualitative basic education to the rural communities and urban areas where child labour is endemic.

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Alo also advocated that parents, especially mothers, should be trained on skills that would provide alternative means of livelihood, to address the problem of poverty.

He described the theme for this year’s World Day Against Child Labour as apt and timely, as “it is aimed at eliminating Child labour on the fields and using quality education as means of actualising children’s dreams.”

According to him, Nigeria had taken necessary steps in fighting the scourge through such measures as the adoption of the National Policy on Child Labour and its National Action Plan for the Elimination of Child Labour in Nigeria, as well as the Adoption of the List of Hazardous Child Labour in Nigeria, which children must not be involved in.

Alo added that Nigeria also developed and validated the National Reporting Template on the Elimination of Child Labour, which had been deployed for use in the State Labour Offices nationwide.

Also speaking, the ILO Country Director, Dennis Zulu, said ILO had continued to support a wide range of work contributing to the elimination of child labour through “the provision of technical assistance to constituents, improving the knowledge base and supporting the movement against child labour through partnerships, advocacy and direct action programmes.”

According to Zulu, “ILO pursues an increasingly integrated approach to the elimination of child labour, linking fundamental rights, decent work, social protection and education.”

He commended Nigeria for being on the right track in the fight against child labour, as a pathfinder country and a member of Alliance 8.7, a platform which aims at putting an end to child labour in all its forms by 2025.

The Comptroller-General, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Mohammed Babandede, identified lack of social security support for the young and the aged, as a major factor in the promotion of child labour.

While speaking at the rally, the permanent secretary called on the market authorities in the country to join forces with the government in the fight against child labour.

According to him, market authorities could fight child labour by disallowing child labour in the markets and environs, and taking practical steps to ensure that children are in school or attend vocational training.

Alo also encouraged Market authorities to report incidences of child labour to the Ministry of Labour and Employment for necessary action.

He defined child labour in the market as “any work done in the market that deprives children of their childhood, their potentials and dignity, and that is harmful to their physical, moral and mental development, such as hawking, among others.”

He pointed out that even if children had to be in market places assisting their parents/guardians, they should not be denied basic education.

In a remark, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Abubakar Muazu, stated that the adequate development of a child should be the utmost priority of any country, because children constituted the future of a people.

He encouraged all stakeholders to accord the necessary importance and attention to the issues of child labour.

Speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Mohammed Bello Umar, condemned child labour, and called for proper legislation against Child Labour in Nigeria.