WE’VE BEEN COLLABORATING AND IMPLEMENTING MEASURE IN CURBING CHILD LABOUR, SAYS AIYEDATIWA.
***Seeks for more Social Protection, as ILO Team Visits.
“Ondo State Government made provision of significant budgetary allocation of not less than N1.5 Billion for family and children intervention programmes in 2023 Budget, to help families, because poverty is one of the reasons we are having crisis in the Country” .
These are the words of Ondo State Deputy Governor, Hon Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, as International Labour Organisation ILO , Nigeria Country Office delegation team, led by ILO Fundamental Specialist, Ms. De-Coninck Sophie paid him a visit in his office in Akure on Tuesday.
The Deputy Governor and some cabinet members received the team on behalf of Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, CON.
The ILO delegation were in the State to appreciate Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, CON for creating enabling environment in the State for the implementation of the Accelerating Action for the Elimination of Child Labour in Supply Chains in Africa (ACCEL Phase 1) project in Ondo State.
They were also in the state to notify the State Government of new projects that will be implemented in Nigeria.
While welcoming them, the Deputy Governor said, “we are delighted that ILO Country Office for Nigeria is partnering us to get message on Action Against Forced Labour and Child Labour” .
“We are abundantly appreciative of their support as it will go a long way in helping to achieve the project goal” .
Aiyedatiwa thereafter highlighted some of the activities of Ondo State’s efforts on Protection of Child’s Rights/Elimination of Child Labour.
Some of which are:
* Signing of 2007 child Rights Law to prosecute offenders and child right violators in the State.
* Passage of Violence Against Persons (VAP) Law to protect especially vulnerable and children.
* Establishment of the Office of Public Defender (OPD) to defend the Rights of Vulnerable citizens including children.
* Establishment of State Task Force on Human Trafficking.
* Establishment of Children and Youth Parliament.
* Conditional Cash Transfer to Vulnerable households, and so on.
Notwithstanding the achievements, the Deputy Governor called for more collaboration on improved surveillance to monitor and prosecute offenders of forced child labour.
He equally appealed for the establishment of more social protection programmes to reduce household’s vulnerability, establishment of more skill acquisition centers and massive public sensitization on family planning and violence against children and women.
“We are extremely grateful for the partnership, while we look forward to more impactful ones”, declared Aiyedatiwa .
In her speech, the ILO Team leader, Ms. De-Coninck Sophie said the objective of their visit was “to have excellent collaboration with Ondo State Government and to inform stakeholders about their new projects” .
“The objective of the project is to deepen consciousness on Action Against Forced Labour and Child Labour and drive more engagement on child’s rights” , she said.
In attendance were, Secretary to Ondo State Government, Princess Oladunni Odu, Chief of Staff to Governor, Chief Olugbenga Ale, Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Sir Titiloye Charles, Commissioner of Health, Dr Banji Ajaka, Commissioner of Women Affairs and Social Development, Dr Mrs Juliana Osadahun, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Mr Bayo Philips, Administration Officer, Office of Deputy Governor, Mr Idowu Ojo, Special Assistant to Governor on New Media, Ladi Okunniga and others.
Photo Credit: Abayomi Adefolalu.
