Despite legislative measures introduced in Nigeria to deal with child labour,15 million children under the age of 14 are under still in hazardous labour.
Information Minister of Nigeria Maku Labaran disclosed that, although a draft national policy on child labour was endorsed to address these challenges facing the affected children, still no action has been taken except in an increase in number of children forced into hazardous labour.
“Child labour undermines national development and provides a reservoir of children for easy recruitment into evil and violent acts. Child labour refers to all activities harmful to health, physical and psychological well being of children and these activities include forced labour and other activities which hinder children from going to school,” said Mr Maku.
According to the International Labour Organization report, millions of Nigerian children under the age of 14 are forced into tedious and diverse dangerous working conditions which include street hawking, begging, car washing and watching whole others work as apprentice mechanics, hairdressers and bus conductors but a large number work as domestic servants, mine and farm workers.
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"Major causes of child labour are widespread poverty, rapid urbanization, breakdown in extended family affiliations, school drop outs and lack of enforcement of legal instruments meant to protect children," reads the ILO report.
Traditionally, children have worked with their families but today children are forced to work for their own and their family survival. The money earned by these children has become a significant part of poor families’ income.
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The question that many have always been asking that has not been answered even up to now is where are the international bodies that should advocate and come to the rescue of these children, today youths determine the future of tomorrow, but when they are in such conditions it is a hell disaster to the nation of Nigeria as well as the continent of Africa at large.
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