By Funmi  Komolafe

GENEVA – The challenge of discrimination, harassment and other forms of intimidation experienced by  Nigerians, especially youths   working abroad, was the focus of Nigeria’s presentation at the ongoing  103rd session of the International Labour Conference  in Geneva, Switzerland.

Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, while addressing the plenary, asked the International Labour Organisation, ILO, to “galvanise its pace setting potentials for the building of national capacities, partnerships and promotion of collaboration in re-integration programmes and other forms of interventions for the effective mitigation of the challenges of migration in a largely prismatic world.”

Wogu said Nigeria’s interest in migration “is informed by the large number of Nigerian youths that are globally mobile,” adding that the present administration “adopted a paradigm shift within the framework  of the Transformation Agenda with strong emphasis and commitment  to managing  the challenges of migration as a sending, transit and destination country.

“We have benefitted from this phenomenon, especially in diaspora remittances. We have also experienced the challenges of discrimination, harassment and other forms of social exclusions in the world of jobs.

“Migration is a problem when it is irregular and we are bothered about irregular migration.”

The Minister said although migration within the Economic Community of West African States,  ECOWAS, is legal, “it can still pose a big problem.”
The minister, whose speech coincided with ILO’s World Day Against Child Labour described child labour as “an unfair labour practice,” adding “Nigeria does not support child labour in any form.”

He said inspections are being carried out in factories to ensure that they do not engage in the child labour.

Wogu said: “Nigeria  has the lowest incidence of child labour,” and that several government agencies are collaborating to it.

On the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, signed by Michael Imoudu National  Institute for Labour Studies, MINILS, and the International Training Centre,  the Minister said it was the climax of discussions which  began last year.

The   minister, while expressing optimistism about the MoU, said: “It has my blessings, including that of Mr. President.”

He said MINILS had started receiving requests from participants from the sub-region, who wanted to benefit from the  joint programmes.