The Honourable Minister of State Labour and Employment, Prof Stephen Ocheni has disclosed that the Federal Government of Nigeria is committed to the standards set by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) on labour practice, social protection and equal opportunity for all, regardless of their social status.

The Minister made this remarks in Abuja today when he received a team of the ILO officials led by Ms Sukti Dasgupta, Chief of the Employment and Labour Branch of ILO Geneva.

In his words “The Federal Government of Nigeria is totally committed to the adherence to ILO’s, ethics on international standards of labour practice, social protection and equal opportunity for all Nigerians either women, men, disable and other components of the society”.

Ocheni informed the team, that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the National Policy on Employment and expressed government’s readiness to the implementation of the Policy and of course the Global Youth Employment Forum.

According to him “on the issue of the National Policy on Employment, the Federal Executive Council approved the policy document in 2017 and the National Council for the implementation of this document was recently inaugurated by the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment Senator Chris Ngige”.

The Minister of State expressed with delight Nigeria’s willingness to host the Global Youth Employment Forum by next year, which is also ILO centenary (100 year) anniversary. Adding that security will be well provided and assured the delegates of necessary support for successful hosting of the Youth forum.

Earlier in her remarks, the leader of the delegation, Sukti Dasgupta said Africa needs empowerment and more intervention in the areas of Youth Employment, hence ILO focuses on Nigeria to host the Global Youth Employment Forum.

She used the forum to congratulate Nigerians on the recent agreement reached with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on the National Minimum Wage which was agreeable to all. She commended the country on the National Employment Policy which she acknowledged was well drafted and enjoined the present administration to ensure effective implementation of the policy.