Media role on labour migration governance irreplaceable, says Permanent Secretary

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Dr Yerima Tarfa, has reiterated the importance of the media as an irreplaceable stakeholder in the efforts to ensure labour migration issues are given attention by governments, trade unions and other civil society organisations in Nigeria and across the globe.

Dr Tarfa, who said this at a sensitisation workshop organised by his ministry for labour beat journalists, further advised newsmen to promote efficient media reportage of labour migration.

“The workshop is organised to equip journalists, who report on the labour sector, with the necessary background information essential for an impactful and balanced reportage on labour migration. The aim is to enhance the quality of media coverage of labour migration, so that the public would be better and correctly informed.

“Poor reportage has the potential of triggering off negative public perceptions of labour migration and creating discontent, whilst balanced and fair reportage will bring about positive perception from the same public. Positive reportage will further help to stem the usual conflict between local labour and migrant labour.

”The objective of this workshop therefore, is to expand the capacity of media practitioners in their knowledge of both the ILO Conventions and national policies that promote fair and balanced media reportage in view of the social and economic importance of labour migration. Such reportage would contribute to the elimination of public misconception against migrant workers, while highlighting their positive contributions both to the migrant worker and to the society, when labour migration is well-governed and practiced,” he said.

On his part, the Deputy Director/ Head Press and Public Relation of the Labour Ministry, Mr Charles Akpan, urged journalists to ensure a fair and balanced reportage on labour migration.

“It is common knowledge that labour migration suffers from a multitude of misperception and misconception amongst the public, particularly the local labour that feel that the migrant labour has come to displace them. Often, this negative perception beclouds the economic benefits of labour migration.”

“We also know that the migrant labour is not insulated from the effects of unfair labour practices that range from the abuse of their rights, discrimination, stigmatisation, forced labour, underemployment and other actions that negatively affect their human dignity. The role of the media now is to strike a balance between these two perspectives and views.

“Therefore, to ensure that the media is fair, balanced and ethical in their reportage of labour issues, particularly labour migration, their knowledge in the ILO Conventions and national labour laws, importantly as they affect labour migration, should be in-depth.

“One of the key objectives of organising this workshop is for journalists to understand the importance of labour migration and the role it plays in the politics of international economic relations and the potential of labour migration to help in scaling down the current international conflicts, if well-governed and practiced.

“Because migrant workers have the capacity to create socio-economic value, both for the place of their destination and origin. In other words, labour migration will be a veritable instrument for addressing the equity distribution of global resources.

“I enjoin journalists to endeavour to be language-appropriate in their reportage of labour migration, as demeaning terminologies will undermine the dignity of migrant workers.” Akpan said.