The Federal Government has warned that child labour will not be tolerated in Nigeria.
The government described the practice as a crime and directed relevant agencies to report cases involving children engaged in hazardous work. The warning covers sectors such as mining, agriculture and construction where child labour is prevalent.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Dr. Kamil Shoretire, gave the warning in Abuja. He spoke at a training workshop organised to strengthen enforcement of child labour regulations.
The workshop brought together officials from relevant ministries, departments and agencies. It also had in attendance labour inspectors and other stakeholders in child protection.
Shoretire clarified the responsibilities of government agencies in monitoring and enforcing child labour regulations. He said the Ministry of Labour and Employment has a clear policy on eliminating child labour in the country.
He noted that monitoring specialised sectors such as mining remains primarily the responsibility of the agencies regulating them.
According to him, effective collaboration among agencies is critical to ending child labour.He said legal mining operations must meet prescribed standards and labour regulations. He added that operators must ensure no child is engaged in mining activities.
Shoretire said local and state authorities should report illegal mining activities promptly. He added that such reports will enable security agencies to intervene and enforce the law.
The Permanent Secretary stressed that children should be in school and not in mines, farms or construction sites. He said exposing children to hazardous work endangers their health, education and future. He also described child labour as a violation of Nigerian laws and international conventions.
Nigeria is a signatory to international labour conventions prohibiting child labour.Shoretire said the Federal Government is committed to fulfilling its obligations under those conventions.
He urged regulatory agencies to strengthen monitoring and surveillance in high-risk sectors.He also called for improved data collection and sharing among agencies.
According to him, accurate data will help in planning and implementing effective interventions.He said the ministry will continue to sensitise the public on the dangers of child labour.
He added that community leaders, parents and employers must be carried along in the campaign. Participants at the workshop were trained on identification and reporting of child labour cases.
They were also exposed to best practices in enforcement and inter-agency collaboration.The Federal Government said it will not spare any individual or organisation found engaging children in hazardous work.It said offenders will be prosecuted in line with extant laws.
The ministry also urged citizens to report cases of child labour to relevant authorities.It said the fight against child labour requires collective effort from all Nigerians.
Shoretire reaffirmed government’s resolve to protect the rights and welfare of children.
He said every Nigerian child deserves education, protection and opportunity to reach their full potential.
The workshop ended with a call on agencies to intensify efforts to eliminate child labour across the country.
The government also said it is strengthening partnerships with international organisations and development partners to accelerate the elimination of child labour. It noted that poverty, lack of access to education and weak enforcement have continued to drive the menace in rural communities.
Experts at the workshop said addressing root causes through social protection programmes and community sensitisation would yield more sustainable results.They added that rescued children must be rehabilitated and reintegrated into schools with support for their families.
The Ministry assured that it would sustain nationwide advocacy and enforcement to ensure Nigeria becomes a child labour-free country.
