ILO ACCEL Africa collaborates with TUC and CFAN to curb child labour among cocoa farmers

Akure, Nigeria (ILO News): As part of efforts aimed at addressing child labour issues among cocoa farmers in Nigeria, the International Labour Organization (ILO) ACCEL (Accelerating Action for the Elimination of Child Labour in supply chains) Africa Project Phase II, in collaboration with Trade Union Congress (TUC) of Nigeria, convened a stakeholders’ workshop from 13th – 17th May 2024 to map out strategies for unionizing cocoa farmers in Nigeria for the purpose of joining the fight against child labour. During the workshop, participants underwent training on Child Labour, Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, Social Dialogue and Collective Bargaining.

Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria (CFAN) is the umbrella body for the smallholder Cocoa Farmers in Nigeria. It has been one of the sectors where child labour thrived before the ILO intervention through ACCEL Phase I. Although the ILO has invested resources to check the prevalence of child labour in the sector, ACCEL II and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria deemed it necessary to unionize cocoa farmers with a view to harnessing resources to fight child labour in the sector.

Speaking on behalf of Ms Vanessa Phala, the Director, ILO Country Office for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Ms Inviolata Chinyangarara, ILO Senior Specialist, Workers Activities/ACTRAV, stated that the ILO was determined to strengthen workers Representation for improved advocacy to prevent and reduce child labour. She stated that the Strategic planning workshop was a critical platform for the Trade Union Congress to discuss strategies for the formalization of the cocoa sector through organizing the Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria (CFAN) into a registered Trade Union in Nigeria.

In his presentation, the President of CFAN, Mr. Adegoke Adeola, apprised participants of the history, mission, structure, and operations of the Association in Nigeria. He stated that cocoa was a valuable commodity globally with different interest groups involved in cocoa value chain. He regretted that while conducting activities in cocoa value chain, he noted that cocoa farmers could operate their farms responsibly without child labour. He noted the right to freedom of association and said that joining the trade union would empower the cocoa farmers to ensure coordinated advocacy, collective bargaining, improved working conditions, and elimination of child labour and its worst forms in the sector. He pledged the commitment of CFAN to work with the ILO ACCEL Project Phase II and TUC to eliminate child labour amongst cocoa farmers.

Speaking through Comrade Tolu Akinmayowa, the Acting Secretary-General of TUC, Comrade Anka Hassan delved on the need to partner CFAN and promote freedom of association in the cocoa sector. He enlightened the cocoa farmers on the need to consider the enormous benefits of unionizing its members, highlighting innovative union services, recruiting, and retaining workers in the union, among others. He also educated them on Trade Union Operations and Administration (including requirements for Registration in accordance with the Trade Union Act), requirements for affiliation to TUC, TUC services to affiliated workers and trade union finance. The participants resolved to work with one another to end child labour among cocoa farmers.