buchi Ezigbo in Abuja
Over 24 million out of the 62.9 million kids between 5 to 17 years in Nigeria as of 2022, have been engaged in youngster labour, whereas 617,503 folks have been stated to be in compelled labour with no alternative to exit their employment.
The statistics have been contained within the 2022 Youngster Labour and Compelled Labour Survey Report unveiled yesterday in Abuja by the federal authorities.
The survey was carried out by the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in collaboration with the Worldwide Labour Organisation (ILO) by way of the monetary assist of america Division of Labour (USDOL) and Netherlands Authorities.
The report confirmed that 24, 673, 485 (39.2 per cent) of kids between 5 -17 years in Nigeria have been engaged in youngster labour whereas 14, 390,353 (22.9 p.c) of kids are concerned in hazardous work.
The survey additional confirmed that 31,756,302 (50.5 per cent) of the youngsters between 5 – 17 years in Nigeria have been engaged in financial exercise.
The report additional indicated that the prevalence of compelled labour was extra in city areas than rural areas.
Whereas presenting the survey report, Mrs. Abiola Orosanya stated that when it comes to the proportion of kids in youngster labour and unsafe work, the South East area has the best prevalence of kids concerned in youngster labour (49.9 per cent), adopted by North East geopolitical zone with 49.4 per cent.
The report stated that (5.2 per cent of each 1,000 folks (617,503 folks) have been in compelled labour of their present jobs in 2022
In accordance with the report, 41.1 per cent of the folks engaged in compelled labour ply their commerce in agricultural sector, whereas 32.8 per cent are discovered within the service sector.
Talking on the formal launch of the 2022 Nigeria Youngster and Compelled Labour Survey reviews, Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, stated the aim of the survey was to offer extra correct info on compelled labour and youngster labour by way of knowledge assortment.
She was represented by the Everlasting Secretary in thee Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Ismaila Abubakar.
The minister stated that the report will assist to tell coverage route and interventions in direction of the elimination of kid labour and compelled labour in Nigeria.
“We’re conscious that the survey was performed in April 2022, that’s, 22 years after the primary A number of Indication Cluster Surveys (MICS) survey was performed. The launch and publication of the survey report was delayed to this time as a result of technicalities and processes concerned within the evaluation of the survey outcome.
“As we all know, the aim of the survey is to enhance info on compelled labour and youngster labour by way of knowledge assortment which can assist to tell coverage route and interventions in direction of the elimination of kid labour and compelled labour in Nigeria,” she stated.
The Nation Director of the ILO, Venersa Phala stated that the 2021 world reviews on youngster labour launched by the ILO and UNICEF painted a troubling image.
She stated: “Worldwide, the variety of kids engaged in youngster labour has risen by 8.4 million to a staggering 160 million. For the primary time in 20 years, progress in combating youngster labour has notably stalled globally, with Sub-Saharan Africa going through significantly daunting challenges.
“The 2021 report factors to a major rise within the variety of kids aged 5 to 11 years in youngster labour, who now account for simply over half of the whole world determine. The variety of kids aged 5 to 17 years in hazardous work has risen by 6.5 million to 79 million since 2016”.
In accordance with her, the agriculture sector accounted for 70 per cent of kids in youngster labour (112 million) adopted by 20 per cent in companies (31.4 million) and 10 per cent in business (16.5 million).
She stated almost 28 per cent of kids aged 5 to 11 years and 35 per cent of kids aged 12 to 14 years in youngster labour are out of faculty.
“Youngster labour is extra prevalent amongst boys than women at all ages. When family chores carried out for 21 hours or extra every week are thought-about, the gender hole in youngster labour narrows. The prevalence of kid labour in rural areas (14 per cent) is shut to a few occasions increased than in city areas (5 per cent),” she stated.
Statistician-Basic of the Federation and Chief Government Officer of the NBS Adeyemi Adeniran stated the train which was performed efficiently throughout the 36 states and the FCT, collected complete knowledge on the causes, traits, nature, and extent of kid labour and compelled labour in Nigeria.
“Utilizing one of the best and most applicable methodology for the implementation of this survey, the info assortment was carried out in 2022, and since then, NBS has been working collaboratively with different members of the technical committee to finalise these outcomes which we’re launching right here immediately,” he stated.
Representatives of america Ambassador to Nigeria whose nation supported the initiative with $200,000 stated the essence of the survey report was to allow the federal government to have first hand info on the prevalence of kid labour in order take measures to handle the problem.