The Instrument of Ratification for ILO Convention No. 190 on Violence and Harassment has been signed by President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment will deposit the document with the Director General of the International Labour Organization.
At the opening ceremony of a two-day regional sensitization workshop on ILO Convention No. 190 on Violence and Harassment and Eliminating Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in the Workplace for Professional Officers in the three Northern Geo-Political Zones, Ms. Kachollom S. Daju mni, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, made the announcement.
Daju noted that Nigeria is the fourth country in Africa and the eighth in the world to ratify the Convention. She added that the Ministry has already inserted prohibitions on violence and harassment, including sexual harassment in the just concluded review exercise of the National Labour Bills.
She stated that the ratification comes with an enormous responsibility and reporting obligation for Nigeria. She called on labour Officers in the states to put their best foot forward as it is their duty to implement, intercept and intervene in all cases of violence and harassment, and other related unfair labour practices in all workplaces after the convention is domesticated.
“The Ministry’s Headquarters will also be depending on you to generate and gather data that will be used to develop a comprehensive First Report of Nigeria’s implementation of the Convention to the ILO when the time comes” she said.
The permanent Secretary appreciated the ILO Regional Office in Abuja, and the International Labour Office, Geneva for providing the technical support for the workshop, and for its support in ensuring that Nigeria’s Labour Administration System operates in line with international best practices.
Earlier in her welcome address the Director, Productivity Measurement and Labour Standards, Mrs Juliana A. Adebambo, said that in order to facilitate wide spread and acceptance of the Convention, the Ministry with technical support from the ILO had convened a series of preliminary activities across the six Geo-Political zones in the country and the 2-day workshop was first in the lineup.
The opening Ceremony had in attendance very important dignitaries including the Country Director of the ILO office for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Mrs Vanessa Lerato Phala.