FG calls for coordinated action to eliminate Child Labour

The Federal government has called for coordinated actions among stakeholders, in order to accelerate the elimination of child labour in the country.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Dr Yerima Tarfa, made the call during the opening of a capacity-building workshop on Monday, in Abuja.

Tarfa said this in a statement signed by Patience Onuobia, Head, Press and Public Relations, in the ministry.

He said that the workshop was organised for Zonal Directors and State Controllers in the ministry, on the use and application of the Reviewed National Policy on Elimination of Child Labour in Nigeria and its National Action Plan 2021-2025.

He said that the workshop is expected to enhance the skills of the participants for effective implementation of the content of the National Policy and National Action Plan on Elimination of Child Labour.

Tarfa urged the participants and other stakeholders to work within the provisions and guidelines of the Policy and its Action Plan, playing their assigned roles and coordinating their actions, in order to accelerate the elimination of child labour.

According to him, the Policy and its Plan of Action provide the guide for the various stakeholders to identify their specific role, responsibilities, and comparatively respond to the challenges of child labour within the national framework.

The permanent secretary noted that despite the progress made in eliminating child labour, it is still prevalent in the country, especially in the informal sector.

He, however, said that the federal government had created an enabling environment for the fight against child labour, forced labour and human trafficking.

“This is by ratifying and adopting some international conventions related to the elimination of child labour and approving the National Policy on Child Labour and its Action Plan in 2013, which was reviewed and validated in 2021,”he said.

He further said that eliminating child labour in the country is in accordance with Sustainable Development Goal Target 8.7., which calls on all to take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of all forms of child labour.”

Earlier, Acting Director, Inspectorate Department, Mr Ajuwon Adeniyi, said that the workshop would deepen the capacity of the participants “to play their roles effectively in the national response to eradicating Child Labour by 2025 and meeting Target 8.7 of the Sustainable Development Goals 8.” (NAN)