Nigeria stakeholders prioritize safety and compliance in cocoa and small-scale gold mining
12 July 2024
Abuja, Nigeria, 12 July, 2024 - As part of the efforts aimed at addressing Child Labour in Nigeria in the Cocoa and Artisanal Small Scale Gold Mining supply chains, national stakeholders and implementing partners of the ACCEL Africa Project II recently convened to address gaps, prioritize areas, and strategize interventions for occupational safety and health (OSH), labour inspection, and labour law compliance in Nigeria.
The meetings were led by the ILO ACCEL OSH and Labour Inspection Technical Officer, with support from the National Project Coordinator, National Project Officer, and a National OSH Consultant. The project team of the ACLAWA (Action against Child Labour in Agriculture in West Africa) project also participated in the meetings, to identify joint interventions with stakeholders.
Key participants included government representatives from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment (FMLE), Ministry of Solid Minerals Development (MSMD), and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS). Employer representatives from the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) and member organizations such as PW Nigeria Construction and Olam Food Ingredients (OFI) also attended. Workers were represented by officers from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
During the discussions, several key interventions were agreed upon to be led by various institutions and supported by the Project. These interventions include: the FMLE will establish a Core Group of Inspectors and develop a Strategic Plan for Compliance; a Training of Trainers (ToT) will be organized for mining officers from the MSMD; the FMAFS will lead the implementation of interventions to promote safety and health in small-scale farms and communities, including the use of the ILO WIND methodology; and the project will support NECA and Workers in implementing OSH interventions.
These strategic interventions aim to improve OSH standards, enhance compliance with labour standards, and support economic formalization in the cocoa and gold supply chains. Aligning with the Durban Call to Action, these efforts promote safe workplaces and protect young workers, ultimately working towards eliminating child labour and improving working conditions in Nigeria.
The project will support the stakeholders to operationalize the interventions identified (establishment of the Core Group of inspectors, the design and implementation of the strategic plan for compliance, strengthen of capacity of resource persons on OSH, etc.)