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Address Poverty, Abolish Child Labour, NLC Tasks FG

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The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has appealed to the Federal Government to address the issue of inequality and poverty in the country in order to abolish child labour.
NLC President, Mr Ayuba Wabba, made the appeal in an interview with newsmen, yesterday, in Abuja.
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has declared June 12 of every year World Day against Child Labour Day.
The ILO has also estimated worldwide that 218 million children between 5 and 17 years are in employment, while 152 million are victims of child labour and 73 million, work in hazardous child labour.
The ILO also estimated that in absolute terms, almost half of child labours (72.1 million) were to be found in Africa.
According to Wabba, we have about 218 million of these children working under very precarious condition.
They ought to be in school and not actually working.
“Therefore, there are two conventions that actually try to address these issues of which Nigeria is trying to domesticate the conventions.
“One of them is convention 138, which deals with the minimum age for anybody to be employed to work, that is 18 and above and therefore from five to 17 years old anybody that is between that age group is hacking on child labour.
“We also have convention 182, which deals with the worse form of child labour where we have children working in very dangerous working environment.
“We have most of these occurrences in sub-Sahara Africa and some part of Asia where there is issue if inequality and poverty,” he said.
The NLC president said it was necessary for the government, worker groups, among others, to collaborate in ensuring that these children were not out in the streets working in precarious situation.
He said that the government must ensure that the youths are developed and engaged in order to become responsibly citizens of the country.
Wabba added that the issue of child labour is something that we have given a lot of attention and it is something that the ILO is very passionate about.
“That is why these two conventions is very important and strategic because we cannot address the issue of inequality without quality education to the youths which is a very important instrument.
“Therefore, we have to use a lot of platform to actually do policy engagement, and if you remember, we have the child right act, though not too many states have domesticated the act.
“If the act is domesticated, it will go a long way, that is if all the states are able to domestic it. We must also make the domestication a central policy in our development,’’ Wabba said.
He, however, called on government at all levels to embrace free education from primary to tertiary level and other benefits such as scholarships and bursary as it would encourage the children of the poor to continue to access education.
He also noted that the best way to address the issue of inequality and poverty was to give the children of the poor quality education.
“Because by the time they are educated, they would find their level in the society but if we denied them education and make them to work under precarious conditions then their situation becomes worse in the society.
“Like in the Nigeria context, children are seen hawking not because that is what they want to do but because there is extreme poverty and these children are used to augment the family income,’’ he said.
He also called on the government to address the issue of social justice, inequality, social security as this was the only way to ensure abolition of Child Labour in the country.
Wabba said that labour would do a lot of advocacy and policy engagement to ensure that the abolition of child labour was achieved.
He also noted that part of the labour law being reviewed by the National Assembly was also to address the age bracket that ILO has raised in its Committee of Expert report since 2012, saying that Nigeria should review its laws.
According to him, the review would also crimainalise all employers that employed children between the ages five and 17 except possible farming.

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May Day: Labour Seeks Inclusiveness In Policy-making 

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The Organised Labour yesterday, called on the Federal Government to ensure inclusiveness in policy making and guide against erosion of rights, such as free speech and association.

The President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Joe Ajaero made the call at the 2025 Workers’ Day celebration held at the Eagle’s Square, Abuja.

The Tide source reports Ajaero and the President, Trade Union Congress, Mr Festus Osifo delivered a joint statement on behalf of the organised labour at the event.

Ajaero described May Day as, not only a moment to honour workers’ sacrifices, but also a platform to demand justice and accountability from those in public office.

He frowned at the alleged suppression of protests, and the erosion of rights  of workers by some agents

According to him, workers have a duty to resist economic injustice, insecurity, and policies that undermine their dignity.

Speaking on the theme of the day, the NLC President underscored the need for Nigerian workers to reclaim the civic space and resist policies that contribute to worsening economic conditions.

“Our theme this year – “Reclaiming the Civic Space in the midst of Economic Hardship – reflects the urgent need for citizens to protect democracy and push back against repression.

“The civic space, where Nigerians express their concerns and challenge injustices is shrinking.

“If we fail to reclaim this space, the foundation of our democracy risks collapse,” he said

Ajaero, therefore,  urged workers to unite and resist division, fear, and despair.

He also urged them to mobilise and organise for change, declaring that the right to  demand better conditions is non-negotiable.

“Without workers, there is no society; without labour, there is no development. We must take our place in the fight for economic justice and democratic governance.”

Speaking in the same veins, Osifo said workers are the backbone of the nation—the educators, healthcare providers, builders, farmers, and innovators who sustain its economy -.

He stressed the need for the labour to reclaim the civic space even in the midst of economic hardship.

 

 

 

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2025 UTME: JAMB Disowns Site Requesting Payment From Candidates

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The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has disassociated itself from a fraudulent site requesting payments from candidates who missed the ongoing 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

The board said that the site, “Copyrightwriter Personal J Rescheduling Flw” and account number 8520641017 at Sterling Bank, associated with it, are scam.

The disclaimer is contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday by the Board’s Public Communication Advisor, Dr Fabian Benjamin.

Benjamin said the account is being exploited to defraud unsuspecting candidates who missed their UTME.

“We issue this urgent notice to inform the public about this nefarious scheme targeting candidates who were unable to participate in the UTME.

“Some unscrupulous individuals are deceitfully soliciting payments of N15,700 under the false pretence of offering rescheduling services for the examination.

“Let us be unequivocal: this, it is a blatant scam, and we are confident that the public will not fall prey to such cheap and regressive tactics.

” The individuals behind this scam have no affiliation with JAMB or any legitimate government agency.

“The account details provided in these communications are entirely fictitious and bear no connection to any official processes; they exist solely for the purpose of perpetrating fraud,” he said.

Benjamin called on Sterling bank to take immediate and decisive action against this criminal activity.

According to him, JAMB has reported the matter to the relevant security agencies and actively pursuing those responsible for this deceitful act.

He further said that “JAMB does not reschedule examinations for candidates who miss their scheduled tests due to reasons unrelated to the Board’s actions”.

He, however, said that the Board is conducting a thorough investigation for candidates whose biometrics failed during verification and were thus unable to sit for the examination.

He said those without discrepancies would be invited to retake the examination at no cost , stressing that “no cost is required”

“It is imperative to understand that JAMB does not charge any fees for examinations after a candidate has completed their registration.

“We strongly urge all candidates to remain vigilant and not to succumb to these fraudulent schemes.

“Protect yourselves and report any suspicious activity immediately,” he explained.

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NDDC Seeks UN’s Support To Accelerate Niger Delta Development

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The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has expressed its willingness to partner with the United Nations (UN) to accelerate the development of the Niger Delta region.

Dr Samual Ogbuku, Managing Director of the NDDC, made the appeal in a statement issued by the commission’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mrs Seledi Thompson-Wakama, in Port Harcourt on yesterday.

According to the statement, Ogbuku sought the UN’s support during his visit to the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator (UNRHC), Mr Mohammed Fall, at the UN regional office in Abuja.

He called on the global body to provide the NDDC with technical assistance and expert services to support the region’s development.

“We are eager to collaborate with the UN, recognising that the state governments in the region and the NDDC alone cannot achieve the level of regional development required,” he said.

Ogbuku identified key areas where support would be needed, including the provision of portable and affordable drinking water powered by high-tech solar energy sources.

He also highlighted the importance of reforesting the mangrove swamps, which have been severely damaged by decades of environmental degradation caused by oil exploration in the Niger Delta.

“Although the NDDC has made progress in providing solar-powered streetlights across the region, we still require UN support in delivering solar energy solutions for residential buildings.

“We also wish to explore the possibility of installing solar mini-grids in homes across communities, which would boost local commerce and trade,” he added.

The NDDC managing director further appealed for increased UN involvement in areas such as healthcare, education, youth training, gender development, and food security.

Ogunku stated that such interventions would significantly enhance the standard of living in the region.

In response, Fall affirmed the UN’s readiness to collaborate with the NDDC to fast track development in the Niger Delta.

He assured that the UN would support initiatives in food security, job creation, education, and renewable energy, among other areas.

“We aim to approach development in the Niger Delta holistically, rather than focusing solely on environmental pollution.

“This is merely an entry point; however, the UN’s development vision aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are designed to positively impact various aspects of people’s lives,” Fall stated.

He assured the NDDC of continued and fruitful engagements to drive the region’s development.

 

 

 

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