Ondo State Government cooperates with the ILO ACLAWA Project to eradicate child labour.
21 May 2024
The Ondo State government pledges to work with the ILO’s Action against Child Labour in West Africa (ACLAWA) project to eliminate child labour during the presentation of action plans by 10 cocoa producing communities in the state.
Akure, Nigeria (ILO News): The Ondo State government has pledged to work with the ILO’s Action against Child Labour in West Africa (ACLAWA) and other agencies to eradicate child labour in Ondo State. The State’s Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Deaconess Lola Fagbemi, stated this when 10 cocoa-producing communities presented their action plans that would guide ACLAWA project in the elimination of child labour in the state. She described child labour as a violation of children’s fundamental rights, hindering their potential as future leaders.
On the 21st of May, members of 10 cocoa-producing communities present their community action plan to the state and local government authorities in Akure the state capital. The Community Action Plan contains a list of needs and interventions prioritized by the communities to reduce vulnerability to child labour. The community action plan will also guide the community-level implementation of the USDOL-funded ACLAWA project dedicated to eliminating child labour in Agriculture in West Africa.
Ondo State is one of the highest coca-producing states in Nigeria. However, according to the latest NBS Child Labour Survey, over 30% of children in Ondo State are engaged in child labour, especially in the agricultural sector, making it one of the top 10 most affected states in Nigeria.
According to the ILO, access to quality education and social protection benefits will reduce vulnerability to all forms of child labour. The ACLAWA project is working with the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, the Ondo State Government, the Ondo State Steering Committee as well as other public and private stakeholders to eliminate child labour in the state.
The Governor charged local government officers to report critical needs for interventions, particularly for the renovation of dilapidated public schools, and the resourcing of primary health care centers at the local government level.
Speaking at the presentation meeting through ACLAWA National Project Manager, Agatha Kolawole, the ILO Country Director - Vanessa Phala highlighted the unfortunate reality of child labour being deeply entrenched in rural life in Nigeria, particularly within agricultural communities. She noted that child labour perpetuates cycles of poverty. However, she expressed optimism about the active efforts of Nigeria and Ondo State in combating child labour. In her recommendations, she emphasized the need for social expansion of access to quality and affordable education, as well as access to decent work for youth of legal working age and promoting the transition from the informal to the formal economy.
The Ondo State Controller, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mrs. Olanike Mogboruko, described child labour as a global menace that affects millions of children around the world. She called for collective responsibility to address child labour and ensure that every child can grow up in safety, dignity, and freedom.
The ILO ACLAWA project remains unfettered on the mission to eliminate child labour in agriculture in West Africa. The ILO will be supporting the resource mobilization for the implementation and community ownership of the Community Action Plan.