The Federal Government has declared child labour intolerable and a criminal offence, directing relevant agencies to immediately report cases of children engaged in hazardous work, including mining, agriculture and construction.
Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Dr Kamil Shoretire, issued the directive at a training workshop for labour reporters organised by the Labour Correspondents Association of Nigeria (LACAN) in Abuja.
He clarified that while the ministry has a clear policy on eliminating child labour, monitoring specialised sectors remains primarily the responsibility of the relevant regulatory authorities. Legal mining operations must meet prescribed standards, he said, while local and state authorities should report illegal mining to enable security agencies to intervene.
According to the latest National Bureau of Statistics survey, 24.7 million children aged five to 17, representing 39.2 percent, were engaged in child labour in 2022. Of these, 14.4 million children (22.9 per cent) were involved in hazardous work, with rates higher in rural areas (44.8 per cent) than urban centres (30 per cent).
“For us in the Ministry of Labour and Employment, our child labour policy is very clear. Child labour will not be tolerated; it is a crime,” Shoretire stated.
“If it is illegal mining, it is incumbent on the local government and state governments to report such and then invite the security agencies to come in.
“To see a child carrying cement and climbing four or five stories when the child is supposed to be in school, supposed to be in a safe environment, supposed to be in a safe place where he’s being cared for, not to take responsibility of another,” he added.
Shoretire noted that the recent launch of the National Child Labour Policy by President Bola Tinubu underscored the administration’s commitment to protecting children from hazardous work and keeping them in school. He urged regulatory agencies overseeing construction and agriculture to report violations rather than leave enforcement solely to the Ministry of Labour.
