By Correspondent in Minna
A practising Journalist in Niger state, Chinwe Nnadozie, has urged her colleagues to use their expertise to expose the perpectrators of child labour in the country, to stem the social vices and serve as deterrent to others who might want to indulge in such illegal activity.
She gave the advice in Minna at a Four-day Stepdown Workshop organized by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment (FML&E) in collaboration with International Labour Organization (ILO) for staff of National Orientation Agency (NOA) and Media practitioners in Niger state has ended with a call on journalists to expose perpetrators of Child Labour and its worst forms.
It is regrettable that, many Nigerian children today are denied quality education, lack of parental care and support, these and many more are indications that the future of the country is very bleak if nothing is done, and urgently too to check the trend.
Nnadozie, who spoke as one a facilitator on ‘Investigative Journalism A Tool for Eradicating Child Labour’, challenged journalists to target their reports at unravelling papetrators of Child Labour with the intents of bringing them to book through indebt investigation.
She added that by such in-depth analysis of evil of child labour, the society would be cobscientised, leading to reduction of the malaise
Nnadozie said:“Many under-aged children, instead of being in School, work in mines where their masters paid them peanuts. What bthis simply means is that, Nigeria will have more uneducated and unskilled youths in future, hence the need to intensify efforts in the campaign against child labour”.
The Journalist also called on colleagues to task stakeholders such as religious leaders and traditional rulers to educate their members/subjects on the need for general re-orientation of citizens on issues of child Labour, especially the rural dwellers.
She added:”Security challenges bedevilling Nigeria today is basically due to the neglect of yesterday. “We failed to train yesterday’s children who are adults today and, if we fail to guide them arighht today,by ensuring that they are properly cared for, we will be having bigger trouble tomorrow.
“Ending child labour and its worst forms should be the responsibility of all Nigerians. “The problem is not the government but among Nigerians who need reorientation of the mind,to enable them have positive mind to lead the way in changing our psyche about child labour.
She noted in some states of the federation, Niger state inclusive, children were used as cheap labour by miners and farmers, adding that this negative trend should be of concern of politicians, traditional and religious leaders to know that.
“Nigeria is sitting on time bomb with the number of uneducated and unskilled youths that may be in position of authority tomorrow continue,” she noted.
Speaking,on “Accelerating Action for the Elimination of Child Labour in Supply Chains in Africa (ACCEL AFRICA) Project representative”, Mrs. Betchi Wamyil-Adagadzu, observed that, when children were not properly taken care of today, they turn out to become problems tomorrow.
“The message is simply, parents/guardians should not fail in their God-given responsibility of taking charge and caring for their children. It will simply result in system failure tomorrow when it is thier time to lead”, Wamyil-Adagadzu.
She emphasized the need for the media to sensitize Nigerians on the impending dangers ahead regarding child labour in Nigeria
“After this stepdown workshop, I expect to see journalists make positive impact by also Stepdown what they have learnt in the past four days to thier immediate families, environment, community and to members of their associations, to see that there is positive behavioural change for effective the elimination of child Labour in Nigeria”.
While calling on the federal, state and Local Governments to strengthen its political will toward eradicating Child Labour, the speaker also urged religious leaders and traditional rulers to work hand in hand with all other relevant stakeholders to achieve the desired objectives
Contributing, the Desk Officer, Child Labour Unit, FML&E, Alhaji Alhassan Adamu Mohammed, expressed dismay that most of the children working in various sectors of the economy were either victims of trafficking, forced or bounded labour.
“Children within school age of 11-15 are involved in various dangerous activities such as digging on mining sites, breaking, chiseling, heating, cracking, crushing, hammering, excavating and carrying of stones dust and sands, exposing them to the inherent hazards,”he explained.
