Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong, the minister of labour and employment, has promised the International Labour Organisation (ILO) that Nigeria will continue to collaborate closely with the organisation to advance worker welfare and well-being as well as the dignity of labour in accordance with the Conventions to which it is a signatory.
The County Director of the ILO, Vanessa Phala, paid the Minister a courtesy visit at the Ministry’s Abuja headquarters while he was speaking.
The Minister was grateful for the ILO’s assistance and cooperation throughout the years, especially in the areas of partnerships and capacity building that improved the productivity and interest of Nigerian workers’ working environments.
According to him, the Ministry of Labour and Employment is more than prepared to elevate its partnership with the ILO under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
In order to increase confidence both domestically and internationally, Lalong also gave the ILO delegation assurances that Nigeria would keep working to implement all the protocols it has ratified.
The ILO Country Director, Vanessa Phala, who also oversees Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and the Ecowas, stated earlier in her remarks that they had come to the Ministry to congratulate the Minister and Minister of State on their appointments and to reassure them that the ILO was ready to work with the Federal Government on additional projects.
The ILO, according to her, would continue to be resolute in its efforts to see that Nigeria implements its National Employment Policy and successfully addresses other challenges, such as child labour and forced work.
The country director praised Nigeria for keeping its reporting system current, which is praiseworthy.
She asked the Minister to prioritise social protection, the growth of small businesses, the creation of jobs, and the formation of the National Labour Advisory Council, which will improve communication and reduce labour conflicts through preventative measures.
