By Correspondent in Minna.
Niger state government has assured local and foreign agencies, including the Acceleration action for the elimination of child labour in supply chains in Africa (ACCEL Africa), championing the cause against all forms of child abuse of its support to enable them succeed.
The Commissioner for Solid Minerals, Mr. Sunday Kolo, gave the assurance at the opening of validation workshop of the Niger State Action Plan (SAP) on the elimination of Child Labour which took place at Labour House, Minna over the weekend.
He said With the intervention of ACCEL Africa and the International Labour Organisation (ILO), child labour and related issues that deny children rights to quality education developing their full potentials would be a thing of the past.
The commissioner, who spoke through the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Alhaji Idris Sadiq commended ACCEL Africa for championing the cause of children against all forms of labour related issues in the state.
The National Project Coordinator, ACCEL Africa, Dr. Agathe Kolawole, expressed sadness that many under age children in Niger state were being subjected to labour related abuses, especially by miners, at the slave-master relationship, subjecting them to abuse.
Kolawole, who called for decisive action against violators of children’s rights, expressed preparedness by her office to join hands with the state government and relevant organisation agencies in tackling child abuses to allow children develop their full potentials unhindered.
Also speaking, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, represented by Barrister Theresa Odoh, said Nigerian future leaders would be endangered if nothing is done and urgently too to liberate children from labour related abuse.
Our Correspondent gathered that the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment,in partnership with the ILO took up the challenge of ensuring total eradication of all forms of child related abuses by slave masters,hence the essence of the validation workshop.
Experts in child management explain that child abuse is not just physical violence directed at a child. It is any form of maltreatment by an adult, which is violent or threatening for the child.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.