Speaking to newsmen today, October 12, the minister of Labour, Senator Chris Ngige, said that a memo was approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) today to support the move.
Ngige, who was represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on media and publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, said that the memo is for the adoption of revised National Policy on Labour Migration and its action plan.
He said that the memo is also about the protection of the dignity of the Nigerians and it’s a two way thing: “Nigerian government is interested in protecting migrant workers who are here with us and our people who go out there.
“They shouldn’t be treated like slaves and just anyhow, discriminated against in so many respects.
“Certainly, this is a policy that is coming to confront the challenges of illegal migration, illegal employment, exploitative policy processes, forced labour, smuggling and human trafficking in our society and entrenching general obligation to respect basic human rights.”
The minister said that another memo the ratification by the Council of the International Labour Organization Convention 181.
“Essentially, this one seeks to permit the operation of private employment agencies in countries. If this is carried through, Nigeria will be the third African country, after Ethiopia and Morocco, to approve.
“This is about protection and the rights of people.”
He said that the memo would also protect domestic workers from being treated as slaves.
“Government is interested in being treated with decency and respect and, of course, their human rights are fully respected.”
