ABUJA (Min of Mines and Steel Dev) – The Ministry of Mines and Steel Development has thrown its weight behind the ongoing project of the International Labour Organization (ILO), aimed at eliminating child labour through one of its projects – Accelerating Action in Elimination of Child Labour in Africa (ACCEL AFRICA).
While receiving the Director, Mr. Dennis Zulu, ILO Country Office for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra-Leone and Liaison Office for ECOWAS, during a courtesy visit to the Ministry on Thursday 11th July, 2019, the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Abdulkadir Mu’azu, said that the ongoing strategy of formalizing Artisanal Mining would help to eliminate child labour in the Mining Sector.
According to Dr Mu’azu, 80% of Mining activities are still at artisanal level which to a large extent, involve women and children. He stressed that the initiative taken by the Ministry to formalize artisanal mining and make it economically viable, would curb associated social menaces like child labour in the Industry.
He therefore urged the ILO to extend its project – ACCEL AFRICA, to other States of the Federation where Mining takes place, he further commended the team for the project, saying the Ministry will continue to support the project to achieve its goal.
While speaking earlier, Mr. Dennis Zulu, who was represented by the National Project Coordinator ACCEL Africa Project ILO, Abuja Office, Agatha Kolawole, said the visit was meant to seek closer working relationship in addressing issues of child labour in the Mining Industry.
She applauded the Ministry’s contributions in the mining sector, including renovation of a school and provision of social amenities in Gadoko Community, in Muya Local Government Area, Niger State.
Kolawole further intimated that the Accelerating Action in Elimination of Child Labour in Africa project is presently being carried out in the Gold Mining activity found in Niger State and Cocoa farming in Ondo State, respectively.
Eweama, Sunny,
For: Director (Press and Public Relation Unit)
Ministry of Mines and Steel Development
11th July 2019.
