The Federal Government says it will need the International Labour Organisation(ILO) technical support to address unemployment in the country.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, said this when the new ILO Country Director to Nigeria visited him in his office on Thursday, in Abuja.
Ngige said that technical support had become necessary as the number of unemployment and underemployed keep rising.
”We want to use this opportunity to ask for more technical support, it is not easy, especially in view of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on countries.,
”We are hoping that ILO will carve a special place for Nigeria so that we can make an impact in job creation.
”We need to create jobs here; we are battling unemployment and the figure of unemployment here in Nigeria is mind-boggling,” he said.
According to him, it has risen to 33 per cent, and if we compute underemployed and unemployed, it will rise to 35, or 36 per cent.
”So, we need some ILO experts to be given to us or for them to be visiting our country on a quarterly basis.
“That is, every three months so that we can work together to fashion out things we can do to reduce the high rate of unemployment in our country.
”We are also in the league of those who want the Intellectual Property Rights on COVID-19 Vaccine waiver, so that some underdelivered countries like Nigeria, can develop vaccines to fight COVID 19, as the pandemic is still on, ” he said.
On the issue of the labour laws, the minister said that the laws were obsolete and was currently undergoing review to suit the dynamic changes of the world of work.
”We have got everybody, the lawmakers on board after an initial setback, through adequate liaison with the National Assembly Committee, on Labour.
”We are hopeful that after the recess of the National Assembly, final legislative work on the review will commence, “he said.
The minister further said that the National Labour Advisory Council previously dogged by budget constraints has been successfully inaugurated, with its first sitting already held.
He stated that the body would sit twice yearly.
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“After budgetary constraints over the years, this 2021, we were able to weather the storm and inaugurated the body in Owerri.
”We have no doubt that the council will meet up with the enthronement of an equable labour climate, ” Ngige added.
He, however, commended ILO for the numerous supports to the Nigerian government.
Earlier, the ILO Country Director, Miss Vanessa Phala, said her mission was to familiarise herself with the internal workings and challenges of the ministry, which she said was cardinal to the ILO.
“Over the years, the ILO has enjoyed quite a favourable working relationship and collaboration with the ministry, and it is my intention to maintain such.
”The purpose of our visit beyond the courtesy call is to touch base on a number of issues so that we will be able to respond accordingly to the technical requirement of the ministry,” she said.
Phala further said that her visit was to inquire about the efforts of Nigeria toward the review of her labour laws, as well as the progress that has been made after the inauguration of the National Labour Advisory Council.
She further pledged the support of the ILO towards solving specific challenges of labour in the country.
