ILO partners Labour Ministry to ratify policy on HIV/AIDS

The International Labour Organisation (ILO), Country Director in Nigeria, Mrs. Chuma Mkandawire has revealed the company’s intension to collaborate with the Ministry of Labour and Productivity towards reviewing the policy on HIV/AIDS in Nigeria.

Mkandawire, who led a delegation of the organisation on a courtesy visit to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Productivity, Dr. Clement Illoh said the decision is in line with Recommendation 200, which is aimed at preventing mother-to-child transmission.

According to her, “The ILO in Geneva has recommended the review of the policy on HIV/AIDS to align with Recommendation 200 of ILO, in this regards our expert will be working with the ministry. The focus on HIV/AIDS especially in Nigeria and other African countries is the prevention of mother-to-child transmission. At ILO we believe that mothers are not only in the house as there are working mothers; we like to see how the policy can address the issue as it affects working mothers.”

The ILO Country Director also appreciate the support and the leadership role the labour ministry has been playing particularly the ministry’s involvements in projects that are of mutual benefit to the country and the United Nations.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank you and your team for the support and leadership the Ministry has demonstrated in terms of your Ministry’s involvement in projects that are of benefit to both the country and United Nations. Major among which is the Flood Disaster Need Assessment, I am very proud to say that the Ministry played a crucial role and the report is now ready and has been submitted to the UN for onward submission to the Federal Government of Nigeria”, she said.

Mrs. Chuma Mkandawire however used the occasion to seek areas of further collaboration that would enhance not only the ministry’s social and economic mandate but also in terms of programmes that are of mutual benefits to the organisation and the ministry. Adding that the appointment of Dr. Clement Illoh as Permanent Secretary in the ministry is a step in the right direction in view of his expert knowledge of the ministry, while pledging continued support of the ILO to the labour ministry.

In his remark, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Productivity, Dr. Clement Illoh, note that the work plan of the ministry is to register the ratified Maritime Labour Convention 2006 by June in Geneva, in realisation of the designation of Nigeria as an exemplar maritime country.

He said, “The Maritime Labour Convention 2006 is a convention that is very dear to us because it has to do with our seafarers and maritime workers. The Maritime sector will be a beehive of activities in view of the discovery of oil and gas in the region. The earlier we push ahead to ratify this convention the better for all of us. Our work plan is to register the instrument in Geneva by June in realisation of the designation of Nigeria as an exemplar Maritime country.”

He however called the ILO and all stakeholders in the labour sector, to assist in mobilising support for the passage of labour bills, which have been in the National Assembly for years.

He stressed that the passage of the bills will help in addressing most of the developmental issues in the labour sector, and also create the enabling environment for industrial harmony and job creation.

Meanwhile, Illoh has assured Nigeria’s Permanent Representative in Geneva, Switzerland, Ambassador Humphrey Orjiako, of the support and commitment of his ministry towards the realisation of the objectives of the Nigeria Labour Desk, which was established in 1960.

The permanent secretary, who was in Geneva for the 317th Session of the Governing Body of the ILO, made this commitment during a courtesy call on Orjiako.

Speaking further, the Permanent Secretary emphasised the need for effective functioning of the Labour Desk of the (ILO) Geneva towards the realisation of President Goodluck Jonathan's Transformation Agenda in the labour sector, with particular emphasis on international labour diplomacy.