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  • ILO urges African countries to ratify, implement convention on domestic workers

    ILO urges African countries to ratify, implement convention on domestic workers

    The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has asked African governments to urgently ratify and implement the Domestic Workers Convention 189, a critical international standard that recognises and protects paid care work within the home.

    The organisation said that Africa is home to a staggering 9.6 million domestic workers aged 15 and above, many of whom labour in invisibility despite the crucial role they play in keeping households and economies afloat.

    In a message to mark the International Domestic Workers Day by the African Regional Office titled: “Decent Work for Domestic Workers is Africa’s Shared Responsibility,” the ILO’s Regional Director for Africa, Fanfan Rwanyindo, lamented that despite the crucial role these domestic workers play in keeping households and economies afloat, they are more often maltreated or neglected.

    She described the moment as a time for reflection, action, and political will.

    Rwanyindo said: “Domestic workers, the majority of whom are women, are among those most affected. During times of upheaval, they are often the first to lose jobs, the last to receive support, and the least likely to be covered by social protection.

    “At all hours of the day and night, domestic workers ensure the well-being of families, yet their own well-being too often goes unnoticed, especially in times of crisis.

    “From the economic scars of COVID-19, the devastation of armed conflicts, to the toll of climate disasters like floods and droughts, domestic workers are among the hardest hit.

    “These disruptions magnify social and economic inequalities and stretch fragile protection systems.”

    On those with additional vulnerabilities: migrant status and disabilities, Rwanyindo stressed, “Migrant domestic workers and those living with disabilities face even greater risks of abuse and discrimination. She said the contributions of domestic workers extend beyond private households.

    “Despite the hardships, domestic workers continue to show resilience and compassion. They cook meals for others while skipping their own. They care for children, the elderly and persons with disabilities with dedication, despite facing threats to their security.

    “Their work is essential, not only to the families they serve but to the broader economy. Yet the harsh truth remains: care work remains undervalued, underpaid, and under-protected in Africa.

    “An estimated 15.8 per cent of Africa’s paid female employees are domestic workers. But this vital work is undervalued and underpaid.”

    She pointed to systemic issues such as the informal nature of employment, the absence of written contracts, and the lack of minimum wage, healthcare, or unemployment benefits.

    “In some African countries, they are excluded from national labour laws. In many others, enforcement of existing laws is weak or non-existent,” she observed.

    The ILO Regional Director emphasised the paradox: “Without access to maternity leave, healthcare, or safe working conditions, domestic workers are asked to care for others while their own care needs go unmet.”

    Rwanyindo added: “Governments in Africa can take steps to ratify and implement the ILO’s Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 (No. 189), and ensure its principles are reflected in national laws. So far, only seven countries in Africa have ratified it. We can and must do better.”

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    She outlined a multi-stakeholder roadmap that includes state, employer, and civil society action.

    “Governments can legislate to require that domestic workers receive minimum wage. Trade unions can organise domestic workers to demand increased legal protection. Employers can act in solidarity by ensuring that they pay fair wages and provide decent working conditions.

    “Societies can recognise care and domestic work as an essential economic driver, and not only as a private matter inside homes. Making domestic work decent work is not just the right thing to do, it is a strategic investment in the health, safety and resilience of African societies.

    “On this Domestic Workers Day, let us commit to putting care at the heart of crisis response, recovery, and reform. Because when domestic workers are protected, valued and respected, entire communities thrive.”

  • Fed Govt reviewing legislations to address child labour – Minister

    Fed Govt reviewing legislations to address child labour – Minister

    The federal government assured the international community that it has intensified efforts to eradicate child labour and forced labour.

    The Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, gave the commitment on Tuesday while responding to the report of the Director-General of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Gilbert Huongbo, at the 113th Conference of the Organisation in Geneva, Switzerland.

    Dingyadi, who led the Nigerian delegation to the conference, also emphasised the commitment of the Nigerian government with its tripartite constituents to advancing social justice.

    In a statement by the Head, Press and Public Relations of the ministry, Patience Onuobia, on Wednesday in Abuja, the minister said that Nigeria was reviewing national legislation, building capacities of partners, strengthening institutions, and implementing community-based programmes to rescue and rehabilitate vulnerable children.

    “We are conscious that over 60% of Nigeria’s labour force operates in the informal economy. Therefore, through various MSME support programmes, tax reforms, and digital registration drives, we are transitioning informal businesses into the formal economy, while expanding social protection coverage,” the minister said.

    Dingyadi stated that the federal government has, in this regard,   recently reviewed the National Employment Policy to ensure decent work for Nigerians across sectors.

    He disclosed that Nigeria has scaled up investments in digital economy, infrastructure and ICT training through initiatives such as the National Digital Literacy Framework, to ensure that the youth and workers are equipped for jobs of the future.

    Dingyadi added, “Nigeria is persuaded that tripartism is an essential principle for lasting industrial peace and harmony. We have institutionalised mechanisms for collective bargaining and regular consultations among constituents to ensure peaceful industrial relations and collaborative policymaking.”

    The minister also stressed the need for all member countries of the ILO to continue to work together to mitigate the threats to their shared prosperity and goals, and chart a pathway towards an inclusive, equitable, resilient, productive and sustainable world.

    He reaffirmed the commitment of the government to the partnership with the ILO towards the continued promotion of social justice and decent work globally. 

    Dingyadi said Nigeria shares the ILO’s vision of a just transition and acknowledges that sustainable development hinges on inclusive economic growth, fair labour practices, and robust democratic institutions.

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    He observed that the Director-General’s report, titled “Jobs, Rights and Growth: Reinforcing the Connection,” aligns with the “Renewed Hope Agenda” of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, designed to institute “sustained socio-economic prosperity in the country through attaining job creation, inclusiveness, food security, poverty eradication, economic growth, access to capital, improved security of life and property, rule of law, and the fight against corruption.”

    Dingyadi noted that Houngbo’s report rightly focused on accelerating action towards social justice as a driver for sustainable peace and development.

    He said Nigeria, in furtherance of this commitment, signed on to the ILO Global Coalition for Social Justice, geared towards building an equitable society for all Nigerians and partnering with the ILO to achieve its goals and global aspirations for the common good.

    The minister highlighted other efforts of Nigeria in this regard, such as the approval of a collectively negotiated New Minimum Wage in July 2024, aimed at ensuring improved living conditions for workers, as part of a broader strategy for economic fairness, fair distribution of economic gains and decent work.

  • ILO seeks enactment of Bill

    ILO seeks enactment of Bill

    The lnternational Labour Organisation (ILO) has sought quick action on the passing of the Labour Standards Bill.

    To give teeth to this, it gathered senior media executives in lkeja, Lagos, where it sought their partnership.

    ILO Country Director for Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Ghana and Liaison Office for ECOWAS, Vanessa Phala, lamented that for over five decades, Nigeria’s Labour Act of 1971 “has remained largely unchanged, aside from modest updates in 2004 and efforts in 2014”. She said: “This dated Act does not fully account for the contemporary realities of the Nigerian workplace, particularly overlooking the informal sector, where a significant portion of the population is employed. Much more is required to adequately secure the Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work for the Employers and workers. Gender equality, workplace safety, and protections for those in the informal economy all demand urgent legislative attention.  

    “Child labour remains a deep-rooted challenge across many Nigerian communities, affecting millions of children who are compelled to abandon their childhood, education, and potential in favour of labour that often endangers their health and well-being.

    Particularly in rural areas, economic hardship pushes families to rely on their children to contribute to the household’s income, often in hazardous environments that violate their rights and rob them of a promising future.

    “Globally, as noted in the 2021 ILO and UNICEF report, child labour has surged, with 160 million children affected. This worrying trend is most pronounced in Sub-Saharan Africa, with a rising number of children as young as five engaged in labour, particularly in agriculture, which accounts for 70 per cent of child labour cases.”

    Citing the recent survey by the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Phala said 39.2 per cent of the country’s  children of between five and 17 are in child labour, with 22.9 per cent are exposed to hazards.

     This activity supported by the ILO, through the Action against Child Labour in Agriculture in West Africa(ACLAWA). The ILO, through the ACLAWA, GALAB and ACCEL Africa projects, she added, had been working with local communities to reduce their vulnerabilities to child labour.

    “Through the ACLAWA project, communities are being empowered to take ownership in the fight against child labour. We have established Community Child Labour Monitoring Committees, enabling local leaders to monitor, report, and mitigate child labor within their own communities. These committees, strengthened through training and resources, have become the first line of defense in identifying and addressing child labor at its source. However, legislative support remains essential to sustaining these community efforts. Without laws that protect the rights of all children, especially those in high-risk industries like agriculture, these localised victories cannot be scaled.”

     Phala further said the Labour Standards Bill addresses this gap, by integrating comprehensive child labour protections and aligning with international standards to ensure that children’s rights are upheld nationwide.

    “The comprehensive Labour Standards Bill, drafted and okayed by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, the Employers’ Association (NECA), and Workers’ Associations (NLC and TUC), needs to progress. As affirmed by the tripartite partners in Nigeria, the Labour Standard Bill embodies extensive input and aligns with international labour standards,” she submitted.

    However, she believed that without the advocacy of influential voices, such as the media, the Bill risks further stalling.

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    As a result, the ILO Country chief canvassed the media support for the signing of the Bill.

    She said under the ACLAWA project no fewer than 50 reporters had been trained on child labour.

    “We know that the media’s role is paramount. By uncovering stories of affected children exposing, and humanising the struggle, the media can catalyse public and governmental action to bring an end to child labour. With your commitment, we can use these stories not only to inform but to inspire a national movement that demands a future free from child labour. The media holds transformative power to shift public perception, amplify the urgency of legislative reform, and galvanise action. By raising awareness, highlighting the injustices many workers face, and sharing stories that underscore the need for reform, the media can propel this bill toward enactment.  “Together, we can ensure that this important piece of legislation does not remain a draft but becomes a robust, protective framework for a decent work environment across all sectors. As we advance, hope that the great minds here today and the Media as a whole will focus on: Establishing a clear need for a new Labour Standards Bill. Monitoring the progress of the bill and enlisting media outlets to champion this cause through sustained advocacy. Creating an ongoing platform for accountability and engagement to assess progress and working to secure unwavering support from influential voices, civil society organisations, and the public.. In conclusion, I urge each of you to leverage your platforms to advocate for this transformative change, that would create an enabling environment for the elimination of child labour by promoting

    She thanked  the United States Department of Labour for funding the ACLAWA project, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment (NECA), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for their support.

    “With your continued commitment, we can champion a new era of promoting the FPRW in ensuring Decent Work for All and achieving SDG 8.7,” she affirmed.

    Also at the event were the Director, Inspectorate, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mrs Olaolu M. Olaitan;  Chairman, NLC Lagos Council, Comrade Funmi Sessi, and Mayowa Adeteye of TUC, among

  • ILO, others advocate responsible business practices

    ILO, others advocate responsible business practices

    The International Labour Organisation (ILO); the International Organisation of Employers (IOE), and the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) have launched a strategic initiative to enhance the adoption of Responsible Business Conduct (RBC) in Nigeria.

    The joint effort, unveiled during a workshop in Abuja, aims to foster sustainable and responsible business practices, key to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 8, which focuses on decent work and economic growth.

    The workshop is part of ILO’s ongoing efforts to promote the MNE Declaration, a global commitment to fostering responsible business conduct.

    Speaking at the event, ILO Country Director for Nigeria, Vanessa Phala emphasised the need to broaden the concept of business performance beyond financial outcomes.

    She further highlighted the growing focus on human rights, particularly in areas like fair wages, safe working conditions, and the elimination of child labour.

    She said: “We have moved from viewing business success solely through a financial lens to recognising the importance of sustainability, community commitment, and environmental responsibility.

    “Businesses must be accountable not only for their financial success but also for their social and environmental impacts.”

    She emphasised that RBC is essential to achieving the ILO’s Decent Work Agenda, which ensures respect for workers’ rights, occupational health, safety, and fair wages.

    Director General of NECA, Adewale Smatt-Oyerinde noted that the principle of responsible business conduct has always been central to global business standards, though it is now gaining more attention.

    “While profit is crucial, we must also be mindful of how we achieve that profit,” he said. “Responsible business conduct goes beyond compliance, it places workers, human rights, and environmental considerations at the heart of business operations,” he stated.

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    He noted that NECA has long advocated for responsible enterprise, saying: “this renewed focus aims to ensure that more businesses operate ethically and sustainably. It’s a collective effort. Employers, workers, unions, the government, and civil society must all play their part in creating an environment that supports decent work.”

    He said that RBC is not just an employer’s responsibility but a collaborative effort involving the government, employees, and other stakeholders.

    The NECA DG also pointed out the role of government in creating an enabling environment for businesses, while workers and unions should hold both employers and government accountable when standards are not met.

  • Climate change: ILO, OTUWA seek social protection for workers

    Climate change: ILO, OTUWA seek social protection for workers

    The International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Organisation of Trade Unions of West Africa (OTUWA) have called for increased social protection for workers to combat the consequences of climate change in West Africa.

    The organisations made the appeal during a two-day sub-regional workshop on Climate Change, Just Transition, and Social Protection organised by OTUWA in collaboration with the Danish Trade Union Development Agency (DTDA) in Abuja.

    The ILO Country Director for Nigeria, Venessa Phala urged trade unions to position themselves to influence policies on climate change.

    According to her, climate change puts more strain on workers to earn a living, adding that workers affected by climate change should benefit from social protection – income support, access to health care, education among others.

    She said: “The high incidence of poverty, food insecurity and undernutrition, high unemployment and underemployment, informal economy and severe decent work deficits, are major characteristics of the West African sub region, and other low and medium income countries around the globe.

    “Hence, the cumulative incidence of climate hazards will further escalate these daunting challenges. This justifies the need for a Just transition to a climate friendly and sustainable socio – economic reality. Therefore, it has become crucial to prioritise climate adaptation and mitigation measures that reduce risks and vulnerability, enhance recovery rates, and prevent climate victims from falling into poverty. However, the important role social protection plays in this regard is unequivocal.

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    “ILO’s position is for workers adversely affected by climate change to benefit from social protection measures, including income support, access to health care, education, and training to facilitate their professional reorientation. This cannot be overemphasised as Trade unions should be committed to protecting the most vulnerable workers and communities from the potential impacts of climate change.”

    Acting President of OTUWA Comrade Sophie Kourouma said the meeting will help develop strategies and plans to strengthen advocacy for enhanced social protection.

    She said: “The adverse climate change situation is real and we must join hands together as stakeholders to find ways of educating and conscientising our citizens of useful adaptation measures and also ensure that society provides adequate safeguards for vulnerable citizens once they encounter this unpredictable climate disaster.”

    The Executive Secretary of OTUWA, John Odah urged governments and the organised private sector to scale up provisions on social protections to cover a larger number of workers.

    He said as more people are likely to lose their jobs during the energy transition, there is a need for trade unions to demand a phased facing-out of jobs and alternative jobs created so that “we will not, while trying to halt the adverse effects of climate change, also create other problems.”

    He said: “The problem that we have is that the Social Security provisions that we have in our laws are restricted to workers in formal employment. We need social protection for the informal sector workers. Even those that are covered, the social protection that is provided for them, needs to be scaled up and improved.”

  • Let’s end child labour, says ILO Country Director

    Let’s end child labour, says ILO Country Director

    The Director of International Labour Organisation (ILO), Abuja Country Office for Liberia, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Nigeria, and Liaison office for the ECOWAS, Ms Vanessa Phala, has urged stakeholders to end child labour. “I call on everyone here today to strengthen our unity in our fight against child labour and forced labour. We must strive to ensure that every child in the world can flourish in a safe and nurturing environment. Let us work together to make a change in the world.” She said at the commemorative event in Akure, Ondo State.

    Funded by the United States Department of Labour through the ILO Action against Child Labour in Agriculture in West Africa (ACLAWA) and Global Accelerator lab (GALAB) projects in Nigeria, the commemoration was attended by over 350 students from 40 schools in Ondo State.

    Phala, represented by the ACLAWA Project Manager, Agatha Kolawole, further urged all stakeholders to fulfill their commitments to Convention No. 182. The World Day Against Child Labour, according to her, was meant for the effective implementation of those ILO Conventions, reinvigorated action to end child labour, and universal ratification and implementation of both conventions.

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    The Director the urgency to implement these fundamental ILO Conventions is more, pressing than ever, as the world and indeed Nigeria, approach the 2025 target set by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG target 8.7) for the elimination of child labour.

    “Balancing education and work poses complex challenges, emphasising the importance of concerted efforts to eradicate child labor and ensure access to quality education for all,” Phala added. The Controller of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment in Ondo State, Mrs Olanike Mogboruko, said every child deserves a childhood free from exploitation and filled with opportunities to learn, grow, and thrive.

    She acknowledged that “Child labour remains a pervasive problem that affects over 160 million children worldwide. These children are often deprived of their basic rights to education, health, and a safe and nurturing environment. We must strengthen our efforts and collaborate across all sectors to create sustainable solutions.”

  • ILO experts agree on living wage

    ILO experts agree on living wage

    The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has reached an agreement on a living wage.

    The agreement, reached during a meeting of experts on wage policies, was endorsed by the ILO’s Governing Body.

    The experts agreed that decent wages are central to economic and social development and to advance social justice.

    They also play an essential role in reducing poverty and inequality and ensuring a decent and dignified life.

    According to the experts, the concept of a living wage refers to the wage level that is necessary to afford a decent standard of living for workers and their families, taking into account the country circumstances and calculated for the work performed during the normal working hours.

    The agreement says that the estimation of living wages should follow a number of principles, including the use of evidence-based methodologies and robust data, consultations with workers’ and employers’ organisations, transparency, public availability, and the consideration of regional and local contexts and socio-economic and cultural realities.

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    It added that living wages should be achieved through wage-setting processes that are in line with ILO principles.This includes strengthening social dialogue and collective bargaining and empowering wage-setting institutions.

    The document, outlining details of the living wage agreement, said: “The needs of workers and their families and economic factors are the two pillars of wage-setting processes. Living wages should not be a one-size-fits-all approach and should reflect local or regional differences within countries,” adding that a sustainable strategy to promote living wages “should go beyond the realm of wage-setting mechanisms alone and include a broader consideration of factors”.

    There has been a positive long-term global trend in average wages. Yet, millions of workers worldwide – in both the formal and informal economies – continue to earn very low wages compared to the cost of living and live in poverty. These workers and their families are unable to afford healthy food, decent housing, medical care or schooling for their children.

  • Our plans for fair recruitment, by ILO, employers

    Our plans for fair recruitment, by ILO, employers

    The International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Human Capital Providers Association of Nigeria (HuCaPAN), the umbrella association of Private Employment Agencies (PEAs) in Nigeria, will partner to tackle challenges in the outsourcing industry to promote decent employment.

    Technical Officer of FAIRWAY Africa, a project of the ILO, Basanta Karki, spoke when he led a delegation to visit the HuCaPAN Secretariat in Lagos.

    Karki emphasised that ILO is eager to partner HuCaPAN to address the issues confronting the outsourcing sector in Nigeria. He stressed the importance of enhancing institutional capacity, saying that ‘unfair recruitment practices and worker exploitation often stem from inadequate systems’.

    He said: “The ILO is committed to providing assistance in building the capacity of private employment agencies and national stakeholders. It is crucial to change the narrative surrounding international recruitment.

    HuCaPAN President, Olufemi Ogunlowo, thanked the ILO Country Director for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, Ms. Vanessa Phala, for attending the association’s 12th Annual General Meeting (AGM). He noted that the AGM marked a significant milestone for HuCaPAN ‘as it now operates under a new name and status, ‘Employers Association for Private Employment Agencies of Nigeria’ (EAPEAN).

    “HuCaPAN’s registration as an employer’s association has elevated its position from a tripartite plus to a fully recognised tripartite within the social partners’ structure in the country,” he noted.

    According to Ogunlowo, challenges faced by the industry include non-compliance with service level agreements by principal companies, multiple taxation imposed by various government agencies, complex bureaucracies involved in obtaining recruiter licenses from PEAs, demands from principal companies for loans prior to payment, and the absence of bilateral labour agreements, among others.

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    Ogunlowo, who was represented by the 1st Vice President, Chief Nzeribe Okegbue, also thanked the ILO for its support in the development of the Code of Conduct for PEAs, as well as the ongoing FAIRWAY-Program, to develop a ‘a framework for the engagement in international recruitment of Nigerian migrant workers’. He emphasised the significance of the visit, being the first of its kind to their office, and the opportunity it provides.

    He added: “In collaboration with the government and the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA), HuCaPAN collaborated with the ILO in 2011 to develop the Code of Conduct (CoC) for PEAS. After a decade of implementation, the Code was revised in 2021 with the support of the ILO under the FAIRWAY Program.

    “Presently, the ILO, in partnership with the Centre for Migration Studies of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (CMS-NAU), is providing support to HuCaPAN under the FAIRWAY Program to create a framework for the engagement in international recruitment of Nigerian migrant workers.

    “We look forward to further collaborations, particularly in finalising the process of the Code of Conduct for PEAs.”

  • ILO, AEA, SMEDAN partner on youth empowerment, poverty eradication

    A mission to boost youth empowerment and eradicate poverty through entrepreneurship is being championed by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the Abuja Enterprise Agency (AEA), and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (SMEDAN).

    The partnership will provide sufficient support in material and human resources to the AEA, which, in turn, will scale up its numerous empowerment schemes to accommodate more persons.

    At an exhibition in Abuja, in honour of the visiting ILO Director-General, Mr. Guy Ryder, AEA Managing Director Mr Arabi Muhammad Tukur said the agency was established in 2006 as the Federal Capital Teritory’s administration’s vehicle for entrepreneurial development, poverty reduction and wealth creation.

    He said the agency, in the last 10 years, has supported 73,450 persons and businesses (90 per cent of whom were youths), in critical entrepreneurial areas like business clinics, access to finance, counselling, sensitisation, workspace and market linkage among others.

    He added that AEA had supported 31,100 rural entrepreneurs in 160 communities of the FCT with capacity-building training, access to finance, equipment and other critical areas.

    These are just some of the few achievements the Agency has attained over the years.

    He said: “The agency has designed to expand its grants programme to support the provision of work tools which will eliminate drudgery, share new technology to rural entrepreneurs and finance Start-ups, who are confronted with inadequate access to finance.

    “We are also focused on youth and women development. We have in the past three years trained over 800 youths and women on ICT, skills acquisition programmes covering areas such as shoes production and other leather works, cosmetology, confectionary and entrepreneurial training.

    “Plans are under way to undertake a financial literacy sensitisation programme to increase the number of entrepreneurs who have access to financial services to understand how to properly use the funds they received for their business.”

    Earlier in his remarks, Ryder assured that the body will assist AEA scale up its entrepreneurship drive.

    He said: “It was good listening to the beneficiaries of the training. All suggestions have been taken. The idea of working with the NLC, other bodies in the future is noted. The energy, vibrancy of Nigerians is excellent”  he said.

    The representative of the Director-General of SMEDAN, Mr Monday Ewang described AEA as its baby.

     

    “We’ve partnered them ever since they took off. We’re ensuring they deliver their mandate and on ours too.

    “We’re happy to welcome the DG of ILO. SMEDAN will ensure it works closely with ILO”, he noted.

  • Promoting inclusiveness, equitable representation at ILO

    Nigeria is pushing for equal representation and opportunities at the International Labour Organisation (ILO). The Federal Government believes this will also promote inclusiveness. The government made its position known at the ongoing 108th session of the International Labour Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, Tony Akowe reports.

    FOR  the Federal Government, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) should remove discrimination and isolation to promote inclusiveness and equitable representation of all regions in the governance structure of the world body.

    Addressing delegates at the ongoing 108th session of the ILO Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment, William Alo, asked the world body to correct the international arrangement of reserving permanent seats for countries of Chief Industrial Importance.

    He expressed the belief that the future of the ILO depends on how it continues to reaffirm and uphold the democratic principles and values of the organisation by removing discrimination and isolation thereby.

    Alo said: “It is indeed heart warming that the ILO through the ‘Future of Work’ initiative is taking the bull by the horns in anticipating future challenges in the world of work and taking a holistic approach in dealing with opportunities as they may arise

    “I am pleased to inform this august gathering that Nigeria is one of the countries that has convened a National Dialogue on the Future of Work and is implementing many of the initiatives as well as the recommendations of our National Dialogue.

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    “We agree with the ILO that labour, being the most critical factor of production should be the fulcrum of economic and social policies if we are to have a just, fair, equitable and egalitarian society in the future.

    “In view of this, the government of Nigeria inaugurated and launched the 2017-2020 Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan for improving and developing capacity in the public sector towards advancing the nation’s economy.

    “At present, there is concerted effort to create an efficient, productive, incorruptible and citizen-centered work force anchored on four pillars of professionalism, enterprise content management system, entrepreneurship culture and enhanced welfare package for employees.

    “One other area of interest identified by the ILO in charting the future of work is the need to establish a Universal Labour Guarantee, which advocates, inter alia; “adequate living wage” and minimising the incidence of the working poor.

    “The Nigerian Government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari has keyed into these ideals by signing into law, a new National Minimum Wage Act which increased the National Minimum wage by 66 percent, and this has consequential wage adjustment for all workers and translates into enhanced purchasing power of the Nigerian workers.

    “Furthermore, the number of workers covered by the New National Minimum Wage Act has substantially increased in line with the demand of the ILO over the years and this will, ultimately, pull many workers out of the vicious cycle of poverty thereby stimulating investment, economic growth and wealth creation.

    “One other aspect of the Future of Work Initiative that is close to the heart of the Nigerian Government is the provision of social protection schemes including social insurance schemes for workers and the vulnerable segment of the society.

    “It is worth noting that for the first time in the history of Nigeria, the present administration’s social investment programme stands out clearly as the largest and most effective social investment programme in Africa.

    “It involves Home Grown School Feeding Programme for over Nine Million pupils, Conditional Cash Transfer to almost three hundred thousand Nigerians and the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), which financially empowers small and medium scale businesses. These programmes amongst others are geared toward overcoming the daunting unemployment challenges and eradication of poverty.”

    Alo called for the upgrade of the ILO Country Office in Abuja to the status of a Decent Work Sub-regional Office to serve the English speaking countries of West Africa, adding that the office in Senegal can no longer effectively serve our technical assistance requirements of the sub-region.

    He called for the employment of more Nigerian professionals into the office to bridge the under-representation of the country in the ILO workforce bearing in mind Nigeria’s status and contributions to the organisation.

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) explained the absence of President Muhammadu Buhari at the ongoing ILO Centenary celebrations in Geneva. Over 50 top world leaders are attending the occasion.

    NLC President, President Ayuba  Wabba, said Buhari was absent due to important political matters at home.

    Wabba said Buhari could not attend the conference despite the invitation from the ILO because of national assignment, especially the celebration of June 12 Democracy Day.

    He added that the timing also coincided with Ninth National Assembly electing the leadership and other activities of governance.

    Wabba, also a member of the ILO Governing body, said the invitation was delivered to the president.  However, the activities of governance called for serious attentions. “But am sure if there is subsequent opportunities he will definitely be here,” he said.

    Wabba stated that despite the absence of the president, “Nigeria was highly recognised because from the context of Africa, Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa were invited first before other African countries and looking at the strategic position of Nigeria in the  committee of nations, ILO recognises the contributions of Nigeria to the issues concerning all other nations not only in Africa but in the world.”

    He said the country will host one of the largest global event this year, Global Employment Youths Forum where by the Director-General of ILO, Guy Ryder would visit Nigeria.

    He said: “The DG was the former General Secretary of the International Trade Union Congress (ITUC), which am now the president. Clearly, there is flow of information.

    “Looking at the constitution of the National Assembly, every leader will like to get things fixed and those activities have been scheduled, clearly the date that was given coincided with ILO time table. Besides this time around ILO don’t want representation, its wants the  heads of states to be there physically.

    “Most of us those that came here were Presidents, I was seated beside those African countries that were here, I was in the hall when President of France, Emmanuel Macron, Angela Merkel of Germany and others came in. However the issues on ground at home concerned  governance and that is why the president is not here.”

    On the issues of low appointment of Nigerians at the top of affairs in the ILO and other international organisations despite Nigerian roles in the body, Wabba said the Deputy General Secretary in charge of African, Cynthia Samuel-Olonjuwon, is from Nigeria, and has held the position for almost a decade likewise also many others holding key positions in the ILO.

    “Nigerian has been doing well, but we can even do better particularly the people in government, in terms of interfacing, not like what we have now, coming in for two days and disappearing minutes, we want our political leaders to be here in order to have interactions with their contemporaries around the world to discuss vital issues affecting not only economy but other areas that will make life better for the citizenry,” Wabba said.

    According to him, Nigeria can tap into other opportunities, like in the area of internship. He said youth can do internship in the ILO for two years because in international organization.

    “They look at experience so those that have done internship with them at the end of the day, they will be integrated into the system. But it requires that your country will continue to pay your salaries and up keeps until your integration.

    “As an organised labour, we cannot be able to do that as workers, but as a government, they need to look into the opportunity because if we are able to be in one of the international agency, it will be easier to move to others and that is why the system works and the issue of experience is very important,” Wabba said.