By Victor Ahiuma-Young

THE quest for decent job to  bridge the widening gap of inequality, especially among developing countries, has become a focal campaign by the International Labour Organisation, ILO, in recent times.

Nigeria, as a member country of ILO has not embraced the decent work agenda, but has been pushing towards its sustainability in the country.

This, the Nigerian government highlighted at the ongoing 111th session of the International Labour Conference, ILC, taking place in Geneva, Switzerland.

Speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Daju Kachollom, among others, informed that decent work is surest root to addressing inequality, rising cost of living, climate change, geopolitical instability, rising debt burden, particularly among developing countries.

Showcasing Nigeria’s decent work agenda, she said; “Whereas technological development and productivity are on the increase, sadly, the gap of inequality is widening between and among states. Nigeria is committed to the provision of gainful employment that delivers fair income, security in the work places as well as social protection for all categories of its citizens while offering opportunities for personal development and social integration under the atmosphere of freedom and popular participation for women and men. 

“Our commitment was manifestly drafted in our second Decent Work Country Programme 2015-2018. We are waiting for the commencement of our third phase with technical support from the ILO Abuja Office.

“Our scorecard of decent work deficit index has significantly improved and will be better at the next assessment. Our determination to uphold the sanctity of human dignity and capabilities, provision of equal access to opportunities, ensuring fair distribution and redistribution of shared economic gains, and making appropriate policies to create enabling environment for our people to navigate and adapt in the face of just transition, are all documented, starting from the 1999 Constitution as amended and related labour legislations.

 “We continuously engage with our constituents and development partners towards strengthening our legal and institutional framework to deliver on our expectations with regards to our avowed respect for the fundamental principles and rights at work, provision of full productive and freely chosen employment, social and labour protection, and social dialogue and tripartite institutions. 

“In 2021, we revived the National Labour Advisory Council, NLAC which is Nigeria’s foremost national tripartite institution for all labour and employment administration matters. Government at the Council membership include representatives from the 36 states of the federation to provide a rich-refreshing reservoir of ideas to power our commitment. Plans are at advanced stage to commence necessary process towards the ratification of ILO Convention No. 102 on Social Security (Minimum Standards) to bring the total number of ratified ILO Conventions to 45. 

“Our focus is also on several intervention programmes on social assistance on social protection to ensure the non-erosion of the pre-COVID-19 gains on our Social Protection Floors, as well as to cushion the effects of the emerging global challenges. 

“The provision of full, productive and freely chosen employment is at the front burner of national discourse and central to our National Development Plan.

“Government is committed to lifting up 100 million Nigerians out of poverty by 2030 and is resolved as evident in the National Development Plan (NDP) (2021- 2025) to generate 21 million full-time jobs and lift 35 million people out of poverty by 2025.”