The International Labour Organisation ILO, says it is planning more interventions in Nigeria to improve livelihoods and social protection at both the State and Community levels come 2025.
ILO Country Director for Nigeria, Ghana, Serries Leone, Liberia and ECOWAS Liason Office, Ms Vanessa Phala, stated this at the median edition of the “End of Year Parley”, organised by the Labour Correspondents Association of Nigeria LACAN.
She said that the move will also promote youth employment, an additional income of households, social dialogue and Private Sector engagements.
Projects and programmes billed for 2025 by the ILO include the training at the State level for stakeholders on Occupational Safety and Health, Roll out of the Social Finance Component of the project through working with the financial service provider to develop and implement innovative financial solutions that support the economic stability and livelihood enhancement of workers at the lower tiers of supply chains as well as Roll out of the Youth Employment component of the project through assessment of youth employment opportunities with a particular focus on the potential for decent work for young people in the targeted States of Ondo, Osun and Niger, to ensure that the project effective and targeted solutions for these youths that also aligns with national and State ongoing interventions among other projects and programmes.
The Parley with the theme, “Government and Labour Relationship in the Past One Year: Discussions on Key Labour and Productivity Issues, Success and Projections”, was put together by LACAN in partnership with the ILO.
One of the Organisation’s interventions which is still running is the Nigeria Decent Work Country Programme III (2023-2027) launched in November 2023.
The programme according to Ms Phala is in line with the core objective of promoting decent work for all through the “identified priorities; (Job creation for Women, Men, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Rights at Work and Extending Social Protection).
“In a bid to actualise the set objectives, the document (DWCP III) recommended the constitution of a National Steering Committee. It is in line with the recommendation that the NSC was inaugurated in July 2024 to ensure effective implementation of the new regime of the Decent Work Country Programme”.
The National Steering Committee for the DWCP she said, held its first meeting in July 2024 and at the meeting, the Terms of Reference ToR for the Committee was adopted.
“The ToR specified that the Committee should hold its meeting twice in a year (May and Nov).
“In view of the above, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment with support from ILO CO-Abuja office is currently organizing its second meeting of the National Steering Committee (NSC) of Nigeria’s Decent Work Country Programme III in Keffi”.
The development of a National Industrial Relations Policy (NIRP) is another intervention by the ILO in Nigeria though initiated by Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment through the Trade Union Services and Industrial Relations Department in 2018.
The Policy is meant to reduce the frequent industrial actions and to regulate the conduct of the stakeholders within the industrial relations space in the country.
The ILO Country Director said that the “objectives of the policy amongst others are to ensure that the industrial Relations regulations is adopted and implemented in the country and enforceable in line with International best practice.
“The ILO supported the government to engage a consultant to develop a draft National Industrial Relations policy.
“The technical review meeting of the first draft was held on Thursday, October 10, 2024. The meeting had in attendance representatives of the tripartite partners.
“The Validation meeting of the draft policy is slated for December 5-6, 2024. The ILO will also support the launch of the policy once it has been finalised”, she said.
Another intervention that is still ongoing includes the Just Transition and Green Jobs Project for Nigeria aimed at mitigating the impact of climate change.
She promised that the ILO will continue to partner with relevant stakeholders including LACAN to ensure that best practices are maintained in the labour sector in Nigeria.
Chairman, the Labour Correspondents Association of Nigeria, Mr Abulu Patrick in his address, said the maiden edition of LACAN Media Parley aims at fostering dialogue and discussions on key labour, employment and productivity issues, success, and projections.
The parley he said, also aims to foster a deeper understanding of the issues affecting workers and employers and to explore ways in which they can work together to promote fair labour practices and improve the overall employment landscape in Nigeria.
“It will afford the International Labour Organisation ILO, which is partnering with LACAN on this project to give us a presentation on their activities with the Nigerian government and labour unions in the last year.
“The Nigeria Employers Consultative Association NECA, the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund NSITF, the National Directorate of Employment NDE, the National Productivity Centre, NPC as well as the two Labour Centres with their affiliates, will have some time to tell their stories in the last one year.
“I would like to extend my sincerest gratitude to our esteemed guests, who have taken time out of their busy schedules to join us today. Your presence here is a testament to your commitment to the well-being of workers and the growth of our economy.
“As your media partner, dear social partner, we appreciate your role in supporting and amplifying the voices of workers and employers that help to shape the narrative around labour and employment issues”, the Chairman said.
Dominica Nwabufo
Comments are closed.