The Federal Government has appealed for collaboration with all stakeholders to eradicate the menace of child labour in Nigeria.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Muhammad Dingyadi made this appeal in a keynote address at the launch of the Child Labour Website and Reporting App in Abuja.
Dingyadi, represented by the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, said the digital platform would serve as a centralized hub where cases of child labour could be reported instantly, enabling authorities and stakeholders to take immediate action.
He said the platform, developed by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the National Steering Committee on Child Labour (NSCCL), marks a new era of accountability, coordination, and swift intervention to end the scourge.
Dingyadi described the platform as a ground-breaking initiative in the fight against child labour in Nigeria.
He said: “As you are aware, child labour is a menace that robs Nigerian children of their future. However, Nigeria has made giant strides to address this challenge by the ratification of the ILO conventions 138 and 182 that are instrumental to the elimination of child labour, development of the legal framework that addresses the issues of child labour, the National Policy and the National Action Plan on the elimination of child labour and other structures, such as the Steering Committees at the national, state, and local government levels, as well as the community monitoring committees on child labour, amongst other interventions.
“Despite our progress however, millions of Nigerian children remain vulnerable to exploitation.”
According to him, the website and app would not only enhance data collection and case management, but would also reinforce Nigeria’s commitment to eradicating child labour in line with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8.7, which tasks nations to “take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking, and secure the prohibition of the worst forms of child labour.”
He, therefore, urged all stakeholders – government agencies, civil society, employers, workers, and the public – to utilize the platform effectively, stressing that they must work together to ensure that every Nigerian child enjoys a childhood free from exploitation and a future filled with opportunities.
Earlier, the ILO Director General, Gilbert F. Houngbo, stated that the National Child Labour website and the reporting App would promote the visibility of child labour interventions and the operations of both the government and all partners, including the ILO.
He said the initiative would serve as a comprehensive hub for data collection and for knowledge sharing, as part of efforts to eradicate child labour.
Houngbo also emphasised the role of collective effort in the fight against child labour.
“The success of this initiative depends not only on government and institutional action, but also on the vigilance and the commitment of everyone.”
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