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The Federal Government is seeking support of market authorities in Nigeria in the battle against child labour.
The permanent secretary of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, William Alo, at a rally organised by the ministry as part of events to commemorate the 2019 World Day Against Child Labour (WDACL) in Nigeria, stated that market authorities could put an end to child labour.
According to him, the authorities in the market can disallow child labour in markets and environs, and take practical steps to ensure that children are in school or get vocational training.
Alo also encouraged market authorities to report incidents of child labour to the Ministry of Labour and Employment for necessary action.
He defined child labour in the market as “any work done in the market that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and dignity, and that is harmful to their physical, moral and mental development, such as hawking, among others.”
He said that the theme for this year’s commemoration, “Children Shouldn’t Work in Fields but on Dreams,” meant that even if children had to be in the marketplace assisting their parents/guardians, they should not be denied basic education.
In his remarks, the permanent secretary, Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Abubakar Muazu, stated that the adequate development of a child should be the utmost priority of any country, because children constituted the future of a people. He encouraged stakeholders to accord importance and attention to the issues of stopping child labour.
In the same vein, the permanent secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Mohammed Bello Umar, represented by the director, food and strategic reserve, Engr. S.A. Haruna, condemned child labour, and called for proper legislation against the trend in Nigeria.
