Nigeria adopts draft national policy on child labour

President Goodluck Jonathan

The policy provides the needed coordinated and comprehensive framework for multi-sectoral action against the worst forms of child labour in Nigeria.
The Executive Council of the Federation (FEC) on Wednesday adopted a draft policy on Child Labour to address the challenges faced by over 6 million Nigerian children involved in child labour.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chukwuemeka Wogu, while briefing journalists on the outcome of the Council meeting presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan.
Mr. Wogu said he presented the draft policy to the FEC to address the prevalence of child labour which undermines national development and provides a reservoir of children for easy recruitment into violent act.
He said the policy, which was adopted for implementation, was developed through a wide consultative process which had involved all the relevant sectors of the economy. He said the sectors included governments, labour unions, employers’ associations, civil society and faith based groups.
“The National Policy on Child Labour will provide the needed coordinated and comprehensive framework for multi-sectoral action against the worst forms of child labour in Nigeria,’’ he said.
The Council also approved the ratification of the Constitution and Cooperation Agreement establishing the West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL).
The memo was presented by former Minister of Environment, Hadiza Mailafia, before she was relieved of her position as minister, alongside eight others.
Briefing correspondents on the agreement, the Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, said WASCAL is a German Government initiative for pursuit of research on climate change and sustainable land management.
Mr. Maku said WASCAL works in partnership with local experts and institutions in Africa.
He said the Federal Universities of Technology in Akure and Minna were selected as competent centres to run Phd and Msc programme respectively under the initiative.
He said WASCAL has entered implementation phase following the signing of the cooperation agreement and WASCAL constitution by the concerned ministers.
“Because Nigeria stands to benefit scientifically and socio-economically in the WASCAL programme, Council approves that Nigeria ratifies the cooperation Agreement and the Constitution establishing WASCAL.
‘The Council directed that other necessary processes be initiated by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice towards the ratification of this Treaty and its domestication,’’ Mr. Maku said.
- Premiumtimes