FG restates commitment to elimination of child labour

• Mourns Ojo Maduekwe

The Federal Government remains committed to the elimination of child labour, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige has said.

Speaking on the occasion marking the 2016 World Day Against Child Labour, Ngige said the present government is devoted to the promotion of internationally recognized Child Labour Rights, implementation of Conventions and Protocols adopted and ratified by Nigeria for the elimination of child labour, enforcement of minimum age at work and promotion of the African Charter on Rights of the Child.

He said: “I want to use this opportunity to express and renew our commitment to promoting internationally recognized Child Labour Rights, Conventions and Protocols adopted and ratified for the elimination of child labour, enforcement of minimum age at work and promotion of the African Charter on Rights of the Child.”

Speaking further, the Minister emphasized that child labour is a socio-economic challenge affecting not only Nigeria and African region, but the entire world.

He therefore called on all stakeholders to join the Federal Government in mobilizing support for the ratified ILO Conventions No. 138 on Minimum Age for Employment, and No. 182 on Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour, including the implementation of National Policy on Child Labour, National Action Plan for the Elimination of Child Labour in Nigeria and List of Hazardous Child Labour in Nigeria .

Earlier in his remarks, the Country Director of International Labour Organization (ILO), Dennis Zulu represented by Mrs. Agatha Kolawole stated that ILO through its International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour will continue to support the efforts of the Federal Government of Nigeria with increased focus on policy support and technical advisory services.

She called for renewed commitment of stakeholders in the supply chain, saying, “The implementation of the National Plan of Action against Child Labour Must be strengthened to ensure the elimination of child labour and the protection of vulnerable children in Nigeria’’

Meanwhile, the Minister has mourned the sudden departure of a former Minister of Transport and Secretary of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ojo Maduekwe.

While saying the departure of Maduekwe is a huge loss to Nigeria as a whole, Ngige described him as a brutally frank and courageous Nigerian.

He added: “Nigeria has lost a brilliant technocratic and a hardworking politician who was philosophical in thinking and logical in disposition. Ojo was sophisticated in knowledge and brutally frank, but devoid of intellectual arrogance. Such a genre is often uncommon among the political class; hence, he was often misunderstood. But he gave his best to the nation, having served her as the Minister of Culture and Tourism and at another time, Minister of Transport, and later, the Ambassador to Canada.

“I, therefore, join the family, relations, friends, the political class and the entire nation in mourning this patriot who made outstanding contributions to nation building and left an indelible mark on the political history of Nigeria.

I pray the Almighty God to grant him eternal rest and console the family he left behind.”