Category: Labour

Workers on Monday celebrated the May Day. The occasion provided an opportunity for them to make fresh demands for improved conditions of service. TOBA AGBOOLA reports.

It is celebrated in many countries. In Nigeria,  May 1 is a day of celebration, reflection, and renewal. Also, it is to honour the men and women who contribute to the development of the economy.

On this day, workers come together to celebrate their achievements and reflect on their challenges. They also use the opportunity to demand better working conditions, fair wages, and improved benefits.

The labour movement has a rich history of fighting for workers’ rights, and Workers’ Day is a testament to the struggle for better conditions for workers.

The government also plays a role in the celebration of Workers Day. It recognises the contributions of workers to the  economy and uses the opportunity to reaffirm its commitment to improve the working conditions of workers. The government also announces new policies and initiatives aimed at improving workers’ lot on such a day.

The theme for this year’s May Day is: “Workers’ rights and socio-economic justice”.

The objective of the theme might not be far-fetched with what workers have passed through in the last one year.

At the event, the Organised Labour  called for workers-friendly policies. It urged the government to halt any programme that might hurt its citizens and workers.

 The President,  Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero and hisTrade Union Congress (TUC)  counterpart, Festus Osifo, said workers were more resolute to resist any bad policy.

“Our nation must lead with a job-led growth. When jobs grow, income increases and the economy is revved, but we need to protect those that work in these jobs. To protect them, we must ensure that the right legal environment is created and frameworks for compliance with laws are established,” he said.

To achieve this, the labour leaders called for the deepening of the engagements at the National Labour Administrative Council (NLAC), expanding the periodicity of meetings, the establishment of tripartite workplace audits, encouraging the registration of more unions to cover the unorganised sectors as well as speed up the trade dispute resolution mechanism.

Experts said workers’condition has not seen any improvement since the celebration of the last year’s May Day

Rather, the labour leaders said the condition of the workers had worsened. Due to inflation, workers have had to contend with the high cost of essentials like foods, electricity bills, and price petroleum products without any commensurate increase in wage. Workers may also have to  wait until next year before getting any pay rise, if it is possible without the government and employers foot-dragging on the negotiation as it has happened in the past.

Although the Minimum Wage has become a law, which any violator could be prosecuted, labour is yet to avail itself of this opportunity to secure justice for its members against states who are yet to implement the wage four years after. 

 Ajaero said their celebratiion of the Workers Day is not borne out of the fact that workers have had their needs met, neither is it based on the fact that labour get their demands met on a platter of gold without any struggle, but that they fought and lived to fight another day was worth celebration.

“It is not that we are comfortable that we celebrate. It is not that we are not exploited, neither is it that we are not emasculated. It is not that we are not denied, pauperised and afflicted. Our celebration is a recognition of our fundamental role in breathing life into our societies.

 “It is borne out of our recognition of the near-divine and pristine duty to global sustainability; an understanding shaped by the fact that workers remain the only key to life. We may have gone unappreciated, but we realise that without us, Nigeria and other nations will become dysfunctional. No wheel can turn anywhere in the world without us,” Ajaero said.

The NLC chief said: “You cannot continue to treat us poorly and expect a miracle from us. We are shaped by how we are treated as anything that happens to us in the world of work impacts us positively or negatively causing us to either withdraw or commit more to work.

“It is, therefore, very simple, if our social partners want more from us, if they want to increase productivity, which is the basis for national development.Then, they must be prepared to treat us better. They must be prepared to treat us first as humans, then as major contributors to wealth creation”.

Also, Osifo lamented what he called the rising wave of “impunity in our workplaces and the actions of public sector employers …”

“Actions against state governments that are yet to fully implement the 2019 National Minimum Wage Law and owes arrears or salaries, pensions and allowances and actions against private companies nationwide that have turned their workplaces into platforms for lawlessness and dehumanisation of workers.”

 Listing their demands from the government, Osifo called for the review of the privatisation of the electricity sector.

“That the resumption and ramping up of the activities of kidnappers and bandits after the election should be addressed.

“That the Judiciary should purge itself and redeem our democracy by its handling of the various election petitions before it.

 “The setting up of an independent panel to investigate the INEC chairman and his team in their conduct of the last general election” and “investigate the spending of N12billion by the Aviation Ministry to buy 10 fire trucks, among others,” he added.

One of the major challenges facing workers is the issue of low wages. Many of them are paid very low wages, which are often below the minimum wage. This makes it difficult for them to afford basic necessities such as food, housing, and health care. The situation is even worse for those working in the informal sector, where wages are often not regulated and can be very low. In addition to low wages, workers also face long working hours. Many work for up to 12 hours a day, often without overtime pay. This leaves them with little time for rest and leisure and can have negative impacts on their health and well-being.

Another issue facing the workers is poor working conditions. Many are forced to work in unsafe and unhealthy environments, such as factories with poor ventilation and inadequate safety equipment. This can result in work-related illnesses and injuries, which can have long-term consequences for workers’ health.

Furthermore, many workers do not have access to social protection schemes, such as health insurance and pension schemes. This means that they are not covered in case of illness, injury, or retirement, and are left vulnerable to economic shocks, he said.

The Safeguarding Online Civic Space,SOCS have call on the media to continue to help combat misinformation, disinformation and fake news by fact checking and providing accurate reporting.

The Chair of a Civil society Group, Safeguarding Online Civic Space, SOCS, Dr Funmi Akinyele renewed the call at a news briefing in Ikeja Lagos.

Dr Akinyele pointed out that the integrity of this year’s general elections was significantly tested in the online civic space by the hydra-hcaded monster ‘fake news’ which took different shapes as millions of Nigerians, particularly eligible voters, got their information from social media.

She noted that the misuse and repression of both offline and digital civic spaces, have contributed to the perceptions, mostly negative, of members of the international Community about Nigeria and in a bid to address this, the Safeguarding Digital Civic Space for Electoral Integrity, SDSEI, project is engaging Critical stakeholders across board to ensure proper enlightenment, freedom of expression, and education of the populace on their civic and voter rights, irrespective of cultural, religious and political affiliations.

Dr Akinyele emphasised that journalists and media organisations must make it a responsibility to further help in enhancing digital literacy especially among the youths.

“Our goal is to build a movement of well informed digital literate young people who are leadership ready and to create an environment where the digital civic space is safe for all. To strengthen the integrity of electoral processes in the country, the digital civic space must be protected” she said

In a remark, a representative of the Research Centre for Development Action, Austin Aigbe explained that prior to the elections, 108 fact checkers were trained to burst fake news which could have further affected the integrity of the last elections. And about 60 claims were bursted in the last few months.
Aigbe urged government agencies to always release information as and when due to check misinformation, disinformation and malinformation.

He said “each time government fails to put out information as quickly as possible, it create rooms for disinformation peddlers to push out their own narratives and it takes more work to sieve out the right information, the media must be conscious of the right information, as a matter of urgency, if you cannot independently verify a story, don’t share it”

On her part, Anita Graham, from the African Girl Child Support Initiative and Learners Corners advised those who were first time voters in the last elections not to let the challenges encountered deter them from participating in future electoral processes.

The advocacy to protect the civic space is being taken round the nation’s six geo-political zones by the Civil Society Organisation.

Nigeria’s unemployment rate which stood at 37.7 per cent in 2022 is expected to climb further to 40.6 per cent in 2023, according to a recently released report by global professional service firm, KPMG entitled: Global Economic Outlook.

The report noted that unemployment is expected to increase on the back of limited investment by the private sector, low industrialisation, as well as slower than required growth.

The Nigerian section of the report, which was entitled: “Challenging macroeconomic fundamentals in a transition period” was prepared by former Statistician-General of the NBS, now Chief Economist, KPMG in Nigeria, Dr. Oyeyemi Kale and Oluwole Adelokun, Associate Director, Strategy and Economics, KPMG in Nigeria.

Nigeria’s real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 3.52 per cent yearly in Q4 2022 compared to 2.25 per cent printed in the previous quarter, with a yearly growth rate of 3.1 per cent for the year against 3.4 per cent in 2021.

Last year, growth was driven by the non-oil sector, as continuous recovery in household consumption boosted spending, particularly in the finance and insurance services, telecoms, and transportation and storage services.

According to the reports, while the non-oil sector grew by 4.84 per cent, the oil sector contracted by 19.22 per cent, largely attributed to worsening oil theft, pipeline vandalism, underinvestment, and other operational challenges inhibiting oil production.

The report estimates that Nigeria’s GDP will continue to grow at a relatively slow pace of three percent  in 2023 due to the slowdown in economic activity that typically characterises periods of political transition in Nigeria.

Nigeria’s unemployment has been trending upward over the years, reaching a record high of 33.3 per cent in Q4 2020, according to the last NBS Labour report, with over 23.1 million Nigerians out of jobs.

This statistics is expected to worsen in recent times considering the ripple effect from the COVID-19 pandemic, economic downturn, high inflation, and massive layoffs in the tech space amongst others.

The report reads: “Unemployment is expected to continue to be a major challenge in 2023 due to the limited investment by the private sector, low industrialisation and slower than required growth and consequently the inability of the economy to absorb the four-five million new entrants into the job market yearly.

“Although lagged, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) recorded an increase in the national unemployment rate from 23.1 per cent in 2018 to 33.3 per cent in 2020. We estimate that this rate has increased to 37.7 per cent in 2022 and will rise further to 40.6 per cent in 2023.”

The report highlighted the impact of the high inflation environment on the economy, with projections of at least 20 per cent in the year.

In a related event, there is palpable fear that the latest wave of Artificial Intelligence (AI), could  replace aboutw 300 million full-time jobs worldwide, according to a recent report.

The study, which was conducted by Goldman Sachs, stated that 18 per cent of global work could be computerised, with advanced economies likely to experience greater impact than emerging markets.

This is mainly due to the vulnerability of white-collar workers, particularly administrative staff and lawyers, compared to workers in physically demanding or outdoor occupations such as construction and repair work, who are expected to experience minimal effects.

The administrative and legal sectors are expected to face the highest risk with 46 per cent of administrative jobs and 44 per cent of legal jobs being vulnerable to replacement by AI.

On the other hand, physically demanding jobs such as construction and maintenance face lower risks with only a six per cent and four per cent threat.

Despite the potential job displacement, the implementation of AI could result in increased labour productivity and could even drive global growth up by seven per cent yearly over a 10-year span, as per Goldman Sachs.

Goldman Sachs economists explained that though AI is expected to have a substantial effect on the job market, only some jobs and industries will be fully impacted by automation.

“Although the impact of AI on the labor market is likely to be significant, most jobs and industries are only partially exposed to automation and are thus more likely to be complemented rather than substituted by AI,” the economists added.

The majority of workers are employed in positions that are partially exposed to AI automation. As a result, they will probably utilise some of their newly available time for productive endeavors that enhance output after AI adoption.

• To engage Tinubu-led govt on fuel subsidy

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has warned the Federal Government that it will resist its plan to criminalise peaceful protests.

Its President, Joe Ajaero, in an Easter message, charged Nigerians to protest within the ambit of the law when they feel short-changed.

“We shall resist any attempt to criminalise our hard-earned right to peaceful protest against the ills perpetrated  by operators of the Nigeria state,” he said.

Charging Nigerians to imbibe the virtues of the Lord Jesus Christ, Ajaero said the death of Jesus Christ on the cross, marked by the feast of Easter, offers everyone a chance for deep reflection on the virtues of the greatest  love and sacrifice and of undying hope.

“In light of this, we urge  workers, indeed all Nigerians, to imbibe the virtues of Easter through the manifestation of the spirit of love through forgiveness, sacrifice, hope and sincerity,” he said.

The NLC chief stated that workers were urging our leaders at various levels “who brought upon us this level of pain, privation and acrimony to not treat these virtues as platitudes, but core values for healing, rebuilding, and  repositioning of the country”.

He stated that it was important that Jesus died a painful death on the cross, not pleasing the establishment of the day, but challenging it to do the right thing.

Ajaero said, in like manner, the NLC had not only a moral obligation to remind the government of its duties and obligations to the people but would also sensitise the people to their rights.

He said the union was waiting for the Bola Tinubu-led administration to be sworn in before engaging the government on the matter

In a related event , NLC has said it will soon speak on the controversial plan to remove fuel subsidy.

 According to NLC, its position would be made known after May 29.

 NLC Vice President, Adewale Adeyanju said the union was yet to come out with any position on the subsidy removal.

 He said the union was waiting for the Bola Tinubu-led administration to be sworn in before engaging the government on the matter.

 Adeyanju said: “The NLC has not come out with its position on the removal of subsidy. It is a market for the big guys. And the incoming administration has not met with us.They have not discussed anything with us. We are still waiting for them to come in.

“They have not discussed anything with us that has to do with the removal of fuel subsidy. So, I can’t comment on that. Let’s wait till the new government is sworn in; then, we need to sit down with them and come out with ideas that will be good for Nigerians.”

 The NLC vice president further denied that the All Progressive Congress  (APC) was accusing the union of opposing the removal of subsidy.

He said: “I do not think APC is accusing NLC of opposing the removal. We have not met.They are only using that for their interest because. I don’t think Congress has made any statement either to remove it or not.

“There is no statement from the union. Politicians alaways  like to have their way.There is no way the APC will accuse NLC on this matter because they won the election and they are going to meet with the NLC. How will they be accusing NLC of not supporting the removal? We have not come out with any statement on the removal of the fuel subsidy.

“The continuation of subsidy  may collapse the economy.You are in this country and we know what we are passing through. If you have a replacement, it is better for us. But to continue deceive us that they are removing it today and not tomorrow is not good.

“They should stop deceiving us. Let us know if they want us to die. We will die once rather than someone deceiving us that it is not going to be reduced and it will be reduced. If they remove it, it is still for the good of all Nigerians and if they don’t remove it, it will be at the other side too, but I know that we are going to pay more.’’

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) will hold its Zonal Delegates Conference on April 18 in Port Harcourt, Warri, Lagos and Kaduna.

Also, at the event, officers would be elected take charge of the association at the zones.

Officers, who are billed to be elected are the zonal chairman, secretaries, treasurers,  PROs and representative of the association’s women commission, among others.

The International Labour Organisation (ILO), through the FAIRWAY Programme, in collaboration with the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), has held a workshop on how to tackle the exploitation against migrant workers. TOBA AGBOOLA reports.

Labour migration is a global phenomenon. Reason:    

People are always in search of a conducive enviromment for an enhanced standard of living.

Today, however, migration is driven more by work opportunities and a safe environment where individuals can realise their ambitions and employability.

Demands in economic sectors such as agriculture, fishing, mining and construction as well as services –  domestic work, healthcare, restaurants, hotels, and retail trade – are fuelling migration within the continent.

In Africa migrants, asylum seekers and displaced persons often use the same routes.

While it is certain that migrants contribute to the development of their host countries, there are challenges such as exploitation, abuse and discrimination in the labour market and at the workplace.

Against this background, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and  International Labour Organisation (ILO) held a three-day workshop and an interregional collaboration among trade unions to fight forced labour.

According to the ILO, lack of protection for migrant workers undermines safety for everyone.

At the national stakeholders’ workshop on strengthening interregional collaboration between trade unions in Nigeria and destination countries, experts stressed the need for developing countries to align with solutions.

They said migrants workers were becoming more vulnerable to forced labour. It is estimated that there are about 27.6 million victims of forced labour worldwide.

The African Union’s (AU’s) 2015 report on Labour Migration Statistics highlighted that international migration on the continent is across Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and that the labour force participation rate of international migrants in Africa seems to be higher than that of the population representing the highest 93.3 per cent for Mauritius to the lowest (71.7 per cent) for Ghana.

NLC/ILO Collaboration

According to the General Secretary, NLC, Comrade Emman Ugbuaja, the  collaboration with the ILO would be treated as an issue that concerns everybody.

He said: “We’re treating it as a phenomenon. We’re treating it as a matter that concerns everybody, rather than make it look one-sided. And that’s why the combination is quite interesting.The same concession you want citizens or brothers and sisters to enjoy elsewhere, must also be available to people in your own country. So, we have workers like security men, domestic workers, who are non-Nigerians. A worker is a worker, no matter his or her citizenship. So, clearly, for us, it is an issue that we’re working on as a global issue; not as a local issue.

“So, while we have Nigerians migrating on the basis of economic challenge and what they might deem discomfort or lack of opportunities in their homeland, there are also people from neighbouring African countries and far away from Africa, also migrating to Nigeria. So, clearly, on those issues, that’s why we are not placing a column to it.

Ugbuaja said the Congress is set to enter into more bilateral talks in tackling migration.

“Our collaboration with ILO is an eye-opener. It is something we have used to break the eyes, and we’re looking forward to more bilateral collaboration.

“We are looking into researches to add more of the facts or the variants that we’ll have. We’re looking into it as a regional issue, we are looking into it in a bigger perspective.

“We are looking into it as a  a key- point in ILO, ILC discussions so that it can get the real globally attention,” he said.

Also, the Director of the ILO Office for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Ms. Vanessa Phala,  who was represented by the National Programme Co-ordinator at the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Austin Erameh, said ILO was supporting the NLC in the workshop that focuses on strengthening inter-regional collaboration , as well as disseminating information with its affiliate members on a resource that was developed, again, with support by the ILO within the framework of the fair way programme.

He said the information guide, particularly, looks at providing returning migrant workers with  access to use information as well as direction on where they could get return and reintegration information.

Improper documentation/records

Ugbuaja said the Congress is taking steps to have a proper documentation of migrant workers within and outside the country without any descrimination.

His words: “For us, a worker is a worker, and because of that bond, we’re trying not to discriminate we’re trying to get, we’re trying to get an understanding by making provisions to have their record taken.

“Also to have knowledge of where they are working, the kind of work they’re doing, to avoid exploitation. We’re trying to and as part of the MoU make sure that were such people exist, colleagues or counterparts in those places help to water the grounds for proper legal processes to be followed.

“This is part of the challenges we are working on, but we are ready to deal with this.

“Of course there are some places you will work and you consider it as greener pastures, and it might not be greener in some places.”

Plight of retirees outside the country

“The challenges have push us to discussion so that they don’t cut them off from their benefits. For instance, we have a huge number of Nigerians that have retired in some places and they want to relocate home. And the fear of how they will get their pension benefits keeps hanging on their neck. Clearly, we are having a conversation around that so that they don’t miss out from their benefits. We are talking with our partners in Italy, for instance,” Ugbuaja said.

Achievements/Progress

Ugbuaja pointed out that the Congress has entered into agreement with other partners across the globe.

For instance, he said NLC, in collaboration with the ILO, signed an MoU with the state of Bahrain in the Middle East, among others.

His words: “It has been very wonderful with the support of the ILO, because clearly migration has become a very serious issue in recent times. Particularly with regards to work, the workplace, the working people, migration, some will call it economic migration has become topical and real in the face.

“Both for those living from less privileged places, to places you might call a bit more privileged. It’s been a challenge for both parties. So, clearly, there was the need using the instrumentation of the ILO and the tripartite nature of trying to broke out understanding.

“We, then, had to begin to explore competitions around making migration, not as prolific, as scandalous as it has become in recent time.

“So now, it’s become something we can discuss and become something we can explore and try to navigate properly.

 “How both sides can benefit, how rights  can be preserve, how certainty can be brought to bear.

“Definitely, people move to greener pastures. You might be anywhere at any given time.

“So, we’ve had quite some reasonable progress. Progress because compensation have been opened. We’v gone as far as having MoU with the state of Bahrain, in the Middle East, among others. Compensations are going on around the world.

Corroborating, Erameh said the FAIRWAY programme facilitated the signing of the MoU between workers representatives in Nigeria, led by the NLC, workers’ representatives in Bahrain, led by the General Federation of Bahrain Trade Unions.

He said the MoU was signed in Geneva on the sidelines of the ILO.

“And, basically, what the MoU looks at is facilitating collaboration and cooperation between the two trade centres, through the inter-regional lenses, protecting the rights of migrant workers on books, paths of the corridor.

“It is within that context that we are furthering the support to the NLC, particularly bringing the affiliates union and stakeholders to look at the provisions of the MoU and also improving its implementation.

“Particularly, also, is the provisions and seeing how we can support its implementation. In the area of possibility of benefits as raised by the General Secretary of the NLC,  the ILO encourages that the governments and stakeholders looks at the opportunities and strengthening the systems and frameworks to be able to ensure that benefits can be assessed on both sides of the corridor. It is a conversation that, like I said, is going to help us in taking a decision. The ILO based on this platform, we’re in a position to facilitate some of these conversations,” he said.

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff  Association of Nigeria(PENGASSAN) has called on the incoming government to address the high rate of poverty in the country.

Speaking at the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the association in Abuja, the association’s National President, Comrade Festus Osifo said the standard of living of most of our citizens has been a case of ‘hand-to- mouth.’

Also, the association said despite promises by successive governments, the country‘s power supply remains epileptic, thereby stifling the growth and investment that are  needed to create jobs and lift people out of poverty.

Osifo words: “We challenge the new government to do things differently by caring and valuing the lives  of the citizens.

“Recall that Nigeria started its journey of independence about the same time as Malaysia, South Korea, and Singapore, to name a few.  All these countries have long  overtaken us despite our oil wealth and joined the league of industrialised countries.

“The high cost of living and other economic issues have combined to worsen the situation, leading to an increase in the country’s poverty index.

“According to the National Bereau of Statistics, 133 million Nigerians are multi-dimensionally poor out of over 200 million citizens.

“This is against the fact that the country is endowed with human and natural resources.

“The failure of the previous and the leaders to manage the resources of the state has resulted in the failure in governance.

“One would be correct if he said that the past 63 years have been the story of leadership that has failed its people and the nation is tending towards a failed state.

“We are recommending that key ministries should be headed by professionals and experts as political party loyalty or membership should not be a yardstick for ministerial and institutional appointments.”

According to Osifo, the union empathises with Nigerians on the hardship faced with the scarcity and drastic hike in the price of PMS across the country.

He said the national leadership of PENGASSAN had been following their members at the  NNPC Trading Limited, who are responsible for assigning the products to marketers as well as those at the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) but based in various depots and terminals across the country that are responsible for issuing cargo clearance, tracking compliance, route inspection, metering calibration/maintenance, accurate delivery to trucks, record keeping, etc. on the need to carry out their functions expeditiously.

“We have called on the management of  NMDPRA to compel marketers and retailers to make the products available at approved prices.

“They should immediately mobilise their staff in various locations across the country to track compliance, and anyone found wanting, should have their licence immediately revoked.We will keep close tab on this.

“Our association re-states the commitments to continue its advocacy on the need to fix the nation’s refineries and with the inclusion of PENGASSAN in the Steering Committee relevant stakeholders as set up by Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), it shall continue the agitation for the rehabilitation of the four refineries through engagement with other relevant stakeholders.

“Functional local refineries will not only increase the nation’s revenue base, they will also provide more job opportunities for our youths as well as end the uncertainties in subsidy regimes and product importation.

“While maintaining our support for the full deregulation of the sector and acknowledging the significant milestones achieved in this regard, we counsel that efforts be made to increase the pace of the current refineries rehabilitation and get them back on stream in no time,” Osifo said.

On corruption, Osifo said the cancer called corruption seems to be proliferating, adding that it is the cause of the dilapidation of our institutions and national health.

Worst still, he said, is the lack of resolve to eradicate it through various means, including consequence management.

“Cases of corruption in and out of government have continued to compound the country’s woes, even as resources that are expected to contribute to gradually reducing the poverty rate are siphoned off by a few people who take advantage of their positions in government.

“It is our expectation that the incoming government will urgently carry out due diligence, appraisals of the operational apparatus of the EFCC, ICPC and other agencies charged with responsibilities of fighting corruption to make them more effective,” he added.

Osifo said the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) of staff under PENGASSAN employ is being negotiated with the representatives of the Staff Council. This would further lead to improvement on the already good condition of service that members enjoy, he added.

Nigeria may generate over $1 billion by 2025 from the leather, cotton and garments sector, the Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has said.

Speaking at the stakeholders’ engagement forum and exhibition in assessing the opportunities and challenges in the leather, garment and apparel industry, NEPC’s Executive Director, Mr Ezra Yakuza, said the industry could increase its earnings to about 70 per cent in the next few years.

He said this was also expected to curb the rate of unemployment. Represented by the Deputy Director, Product Development of the council, Mr Macherpson Fred, he said one of the sectors identified  with huge untapped potential is manufacturing/industrial.

“Statistics showed that for over two decades, Asia dominated the global garment production, with China leading the pack as the largest manufacturer and exporter of apparels and garment with an export turnover of about $26.41billion,” he said.

He explained that the leading manufacturing hub like China, chase after apparel and garment exports to gain global market share, reduce unemployment, and diversify its  economy. Ditto some African countries like Ghana, Ethiopia and Kenya who have taken the lead in the export of apparels and garment.

Yakuza noted that these called for concerted efforts not to overlook this latent sub-sector, but rather explore and harness the vast opportunities in its folds as it has the possibility of creating millions of jobs, reducing the pressure on the nation’s foreign reserves and opening practitioners to global wealth.

“NEPC has been at the forefront of assisting and promoting the development of export-oriented industries/sub-sectors towards boosting export activities that would expand the country’s volume and value of non-oil export for sustainable and inclusive economic growth,” he added.

No fewer than 15 million children are  involved in child labour, says the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Kachollom Daju.

  Daju said the government has been  fighting against child labour and forced labour to reduce it to the barest minimum.

She noted that children, as future leaders, ought not to be exposed to labour at tender ages, but rather shown love and cater.

Daju said:  “Child labour is a multi-dimensional development concern. It cuts across various lines: economic, social, religious, cultural and regional divides.

”The worst forms of child labour constitute exploitation and gross violation of human rights for both boys and girls, causing physical, emotional, and mental consequences for the child. Such violations take place at the household level, community level, institutions, and business areas.

“In Nigeria, child labour has become a scourge. Several children find themselves on the streets, forced to make a living, with others employed in industrial complexes and hazardous environments.

“This is attributable to various factors, such as poverty, ignorance, unemployment, absence of social security for the vulnerable, misinterpretation of cultural and religious beliefs and weak institutional framework.

“Statistics reveal that there are no fewer than 15 million child workers in Nigeria. This is according to the ILO, with the UN warning that the absence of mitigating strategies could see an exponential increase in the number of children engaged in child labour.”

This, of course, will certainly have massive implications for the future.

Similarly, the ILO laments that about 160 million children were actively engaged in child labour globally.

The Director, ILO Country Office for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Liaison Office for ECOWAS, Ms Venessa Phala, who  stated this at the stakeholders’ meeting, said children had a right to better lives than engage in forced labour practices just to shore up income on behalf of their parents.

Phala said: “We all know that the number of children engaging in child labour has risen to 160 million worldwide, which is represents an increase of 8.4 million children when compared with the last report.

“In eradicating the scourge of child labour and force labour in Nigeria, concerted efforts are required from all stakeholders, part of which is the development of monitoring infrastructure to determine and measure its magnitude, distribution, dimensions and characteristics at the national and sub-national levels.”