The Country Director of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in Nigeria, Dr Vanessa Phala, on Sunday, called for the empowerment of stakeholders to enhance occupational safety and eliminate child labour in Nigeria’s Artisanal Small-Scale Gold Mining (ASGM) supply chains in Niger and Osun States.
The 2022 Nigeria Child Labour Survey Report, conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in collaboration with the ILO and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, said that 39.2 per cent of children aged 5 to 17 are victims of child labour, amounting to approximately 26,473,485 children.
Speaking at a workshop organized under the ILO ACCEL Africa Project (Accelerating Action for the Elimination of Child Labour in Supply Chains in Africa), Phala, who was represented by the National Project Coordinator, Mrs Celine Oni, emphasized the need to build the capacities of stakeholders and institutions involved in the fight against child labour.
The workshop sought to equip government representatives, employers, workers’ organizations, and community leaders with the necessary skills to implement best practices in occupational safety and health (OSH) while eliminating child labour in the ASGM sector. Members of Community Child Labour Monitoring Committees (CCLMCs) were also trained in enforcing Community Action Plans (CAPs), monitoring child labour cases, and carrying out interventions effectively.
The initiative also seeks to address the root causes of child labour through evidence-based solutions, including social protection, youth employment, occupational safety, and the transition from school to decent work.
“The Durban Call to Action has emphasized the need to tackle root causes of child labour, which include poverty, lack of access to social protection, and health insurance coverage for the people,” Phala noted.
As part of ongoing efforts, the project is conducting research on social protection modalities and youth employment opportunities in Nigeria, with findings expected to guide interventions in Niger and Osun States.
Stakeholders discussed strategies to develop, advocate, and implement policies aimed at ending child labour with the primary focus on strengthening institutions to enforce policies against child labour, particularly in the cocoa and ASGM sectors.
The Controller of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment (FMLE) in Niger State, Hauwa Zakariyya, highlighted the importance of occupational safety, stressing that neglecting safety measures leads to workplace accidents.
“Occupational safety and health is everyone’s business, and it should never be underestimated. When safety is neglected, accidents are bound to occur. In every respectable workplace, safety measures are observed to prevent casualties while performing our duties,” Zakariyya stated.
She referenced a tragic accident in the Kuchiko community, where several casualties, including children, were recorded due to poor safety standards in artisanal mining. The ACCEL Africa project, she noted, aims to prevent such incidents by promoting safe mining practices.
The State Controller for FMLE in Osun State, Mr. Solomon Ayinde Alabi, expressed gratitude for Osun’s full inclusion in Phase II of the ACCEL Africa Project.
“I am aware that Osun State was not fully integrated in Phase I of the project. I want to thank the team for the full integration of Osun State into the second Phase of the project. With success reports from Ondo and Niger States, I am sure that Osun State will equally record great successes,” Alabi said.
He cited the Ibala community as an example of the project’s positive impact, reporting that cases of out-of-school children have drastically reduced due to the activities of the Community Child Labour Monitoring Committees (CCLMCs).
“One good pointer to the impacts of the project in our state is the report coming from the Ibala community. It is pleasing to report that cases of out-of-school children in the community have been drastically reduced to almost zero levels. This good news is credited to the activities of the CCLMC in the community,” he noted.
Alabi urged parents, guardians, and community leaders to intensify their commitment to fighting child labour, ensuring the project’s long-term success.
As part of the workshop, participants visited artisanal mining sites in their respective states to observe mining practices, assess tools and equipment, and identify potential hazards. They also engaged in discussions with local miners, children working at the sites, and other stakeholders to better understand the challenges in the sector.
