Labour Ministry PermSec allays child labour increase.

ABUJA (Federal Ministry of Labour & Productivity Report)

The Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, Clement Iloh (Dr) has called on parents, guardians and well meaning Nigerians to rise up and defend the future of Nigerian children by ensuring that all forms of child labour in the society are eliminated.

The Permanent Secretary, who was represented by the Director of the Inspectorate Department of the Ministry, Udoh Emmanuel disclosed this lately in a message at a one – day rally organised to commemorate the 2015 World Day Against Child Labour in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) with the theme: “No to Child Labour and Yes to Quality Education.”

Clement Iloh revealed that the theme for the 2015 World Day Against Child Labour is: “No to Child Labour, Yes to Quality Education.” Adding, child labour is any work that children are exposed to performance which are injurious to their health, morals, physical development, wellbeing as well as denies them the opportunity to attend school.

“When we use children for any activity such as carrying heavy loads at tender age, hawking and selling on the street or in the market during school hours, we are indeed practicing child labour,” he explained.

He also called on parents to join in saying no to child labour and yes to quality education as well as ensure that good education definitely brings Nigerian children good future. He emphasized the need for all Nigerians to recognize that the future belongs to the child, urging them not to allow children to live under the pangs of child labour with its consequent denial of access to quality education.

The Permanent Secretary added that the Ministry is saddled with the responsibility of carrying the message about the fight against child labour to every homes, business places, markets, churches and mosques; so as to inform each one that child labour is an act of wickedness against children.

The sensitization rally which was organised by the Labour Ministry in conjunction with UNICEF, ILO, the Federal Ministry of Education and other social partners staged a one-day rally and market sensitization followed by a road walk through the streets of Abuja to create awareness, meet with people as well as interact with some victims of child labour, who may have been hawking, instead of being in school
By Omolara
Source:Fed. Min. Of Info