…By Dorcas Funmi for TDPel Media. During the 111th session of the International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva, Switzerland, the President Bola Tinubu-Tinubu-led government expressed its unwavering commitment to upholding human rights, particularly labor rights, and emphasized its focus on improving decent work and real income.
Addressing Global Challenges:
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Daju Kachollom, spoke on behalf of the government and acknowledged the pressing issues of widening inequality, the rising cost of living, climate change, geopolitical instability, and the increasing debt burden, especially in developing countries.
Enhancing Social Protection and Gender Equality:
Kachollom reassured the audience of the government’s dedication to enhancing the social protection system and ensuring gender equality.
Additionally, she emphasized the government’s determination to fully develop the potential of Nigeria’s youthful demographic.
Revitalizing the National Labour Advisory Council:
The Permanent Secretary highlighted the revival of the National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC) in 2021, which serves as Nigeria’s primary national tripartite institution for labor and employment administration matters.
The NLAC comprises representatives from all 36 states of the federation, providing a diverse pool of ideas to support the government’s commitments.
Ratification of ILO Convention No. 102:
The government revealed its intention to begin the necessary processes for ratifying ILO Convention No. 102 on Social Security (Minimum Standards).
This step aims to increase the total number of ratified ILO Conventions to 45.
Intervention Programs and Poverty Alleviation:
The government’s focus extends to implementing intervention programs for social assistance and social protection.
These programs aim to preserve the gains made in social protection before the COVID-19 pandemic and mitigate the effects of emerging global challenges.
Furthermore, the government is committed to lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty by 2030, with the National Development Plan (NDP) (2021-2025) targeting the creation of 21 million full-time jobs and lifting 35 million people out of poverty by 2025.
Prioritizing Safe and Fair Employment:
Recognizing the importance of providing full, productive, and freely chosen employment, the government prioritizes this aspect in national development discussions.
Efforts to address unsafe, unhealthy, and unfair practices in the workplace include the recent revision of the National Policy on Occupational Safety and Health.
Additionally, Nigeria is updating its Future of Work Report to align with the ILO Centenary Declaration, the Abidjan Declaration, and the Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.
Conclusion:
Nigeria, committed to building an inclusive democratic state and a just society, places human rights, including labor rights, at the forefront.
The government is dedicated to enhancing decent work and real income, improving the social protection system, ensuring gender equality, and unlocking the potential of the nation’s young population.