ILO set to collaborate with Ministry of Labour to ratify policy on HIV/ADIS.

[FMINigeria]

                        The International Labour Organization (ILO) is set to collaborate with the Ministry of Labour and Productivity, towards reviewing the policy on HIV/AIDS in Nigeria in line with Recommendation 200, which is aimed at preventing mother to child transmission.

The ILO Country Director in Nigeria, (Mrs.) Chuma Mkandawire made this known recently, when she led a delegation of the Organization on a courtesy visit to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Productivity, Dr. Clement Illoh.

According to her, "The International Labour Organisation in Geneva has recommended the review of the policy on HIV/AIDS to align with Recommendation 200 of ILO, in which regards our expert will be working with the Ministry. The focus on HIV/AIDS especially in Nigeria and other Africa Countries is the prevention of mother to child transmission.  At ILO, we believe that mothers are not only in the house as there are working mothers, we like to see how the policy can address the issue as it affects working mothers", Mrs. Mkandawire affirmed.

Speaking further, the ILO Country Director appreciated the support and the leadership role the Ministry of Labour has been playing under the leadership of the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Emeka Wogu, in terms of the Ministry's involvements in projects that are of mutual benefit to the Country and the United Nations.

"I would like to seize this opportunity to thank you and your team for the support and leadership the Ministry has demonstrated in terms of your Ministry's involvement in projects that are of benefit to both the Country and United Nations; major among which is the Flood Disaster Need Assessment; I am very proud to say that the Ministry played a crucial role and the report is now ready and has been submitted to the United Nations for onward submission to the Federal Government of Nigeria".

Mrs. Mkandawire used the occasion to seek areas of further collaboration that would enhance not only the Ministry's social and economic mandate but also in terms of programmes that are of mutual benefits to the Organization and the Ministry, adding that the appointment of Dr. Illoh as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry is a step in the right direction in view of his expert knowledge of the Ministry, while pledging continued support of the ILO to the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity.

In his remarks, Dr. Illoh revealed that the work plan of the Ministry is to register the ratified Maritime Labour Convention 2006 by June in Geneva, in realization of the designation of Nigeria as an exemplar Maritime Country.

In his word, "The Maritime Labour Convention 2006 is a convention that is very dear to us because it has to do with our seafarers and Maritime workers.  The Maritime sector will be a beehive of activities in view of the discovery of oil and gas in the sub-region.  The earlier we push ahead to ratify this convention, the better for all of us. Our work plan is to register the instrument in Geneva by June in realization of the designation of Nigeria as an exemplar Maritime Country", he stated.

Appreciating the show of solidarity of the International Labour Organization, Dr. Illoh said he accept his deployment as a Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Labour as a challenge to contribute his quota to the development of the Ministry and the realization of the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.  "My appointment as a Permanent Secretary and deployment to the Ministry of Labour, to me is kind of divine providence; I have a mission to achieve in this Ministry.  I want to make some positive impact in spite of the challenges", Dr. Illoh assured.

He called the International Labour Organisation and all stakeholders in the labour sector, to assist in mobilizing support for the passage of labour Bills which have been in the National Assembly for years now.

Dr. Illoh believed that the passage of the Bills will help in addressing most of the developmental issues in the labour sector, and also create the enabling environment for industrial harmony and job creation.

Via: Federal Ministry of Information (FMI) Nigeria

[Folami David]

Hiv/Aids is one of the diseases that need a cure urgently. Whoever finds a cure would never lack except God says otherwise