Nation
ILO, FG Release Survey On Evidence-Based Data On Child Labour
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) and Federal Government say they are set to release survey on evidence-based data on child labour and forced labour in the country.
The ILO Country Director for Nigeria and Ghana, Ms Vanessa Phala, said this at the National Child Labour and Forced Labour Survey Validation workshop in Abuja on Monday.
The Tide source reports that the workshop was organised by the ILO in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and Employment, the ACCEL Africa Project, funded by the Netherlands Government and the National Bureau of Statistics.
According to Phala, after 22 years, Nigeria will eventually be able to comprehensively state its situation of child labour.
“For the very first time in Nigeria, we will be having data on the prevalence of forced labour”,’she said.
She said the last global report on child labour released by ILO and UNICEF, indicated that the number of children in child labour has risen to 160 million worldwide.
The Country Director noted that there was an increase of 8.4 million children compared with the last report with millions more at risk due to the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic.
“In Nigeria, you will agree with me that eradicating child labour and forced labour requires the development of monitoring infrastructure to determine and measure its magnitude, distribution, dimensions and characteristics at the national and sub-national levels.
“For this reason, the ILO through its ACCEL Africa and Map 16 projects, supported the Government to conduct the National Child labour survey.
“The National Bureau of Statistics with technical support from the ILO and participation of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment have gone to the field and it’s time to see the figures”, she said.
Phala noted that for over the past 20 years, the ILO continued its collaboration with Nigeria, through the Ministry of Labour and Employment and other ministries, agencies and departments to eliminate child labour and protect children within the legal working age.
According to her, so many children in Nigeria are trapped in slavery, forced labour and trafficking, they are forced to participate in community conflicts; used for prostitution, pornography or in illicit activities, exploited domestic workers, among others.
“We must act urgently to protect the rights of our dear children and restore their childhood as the detail of this survey is of concern to all stakeholders.
“That is be it government, employers, workers, civil society organisation, academia, international organisations, donors. UN Agencies, parents, individuals, including the children themselves.
“We should start envisioning that change we intend to see in the next two years or seven years before the end date of the SDGs”, she said.
She charged all to contribute their quota to ensure that the evidence-based data on child labour and forced labour inform policy review, programming and implementation of various interventions.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Ms Daju, Kachollom, commended stakeholders for the conduct of the survey and their relentless efforts and commitment in the advocacy for the betterment of the Nigerian child, and the elimination of child labour.
Nation
Rivers Judiciary Denise Media Reports On Issuing Judgement Sacking SOLAD
The Rivers State Judiciary has denied claims of media reports circulating online that a judge of its High Court issued a ruling in favour of Governor Siminalayi Fubara against former Governor Nyesom Wike and President Bola Tinubu, there by sacking the sole Administrator of the state, vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd).
A statement signed by the Chief Registrar of the State High Court, David Ihua-Maduenyi yesterday in Port Harcourt, described the purported report as false and misleading, particularly for linking a judge of the State High Court, Justice Boma Diepirii, to a ruling that reportedly came from a Federal High Court.
According to the statement, Justice Boma Diepirii is a Judge of the Rivers State High Court and not of the Federal High Court and currently on Easter Vacation, which commenced on Monday, 14th April.
The Chief Registrar further clarified that the Federal High Court and the State High Court are separate entities, stressing that “the inclusion of Justice Diepiri’s name in the fabricated report underscores the crass ignorance of the author.”
“The attention of the Rivers State Judiciary has been drawn to a fake news report alleging that His Lordship, Hon. Justice Boma Diepiri, delivered a judgment sacking the Sole Administrator of Rivers State. This is false in its entirety,” the statement read.
“Justice Diepiri is a judge of the High Court of Rivers State, not of the Federal High Court as was falsely reported”.
” Additionally, His Lordship is currently on Easter vacation which began on Monday, April 14, 2025, Ihua-Maduenyi stated.
The statement however advised the general public and members of the media to always cross checked information concerning the judiciary before publishing and as well disregard the said report in its entirety as its an embodiment of falsehood and fabricated story.
Nation
Senate Passes Bill For Establishment Of University In Abia
The Senate yesterday approved the bills for the establishment of Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences and College of Education, Bende at its plenary session.
The two bills sponsored by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon . Benjamin Kalu came to the Senate for concurrence after the approvals from the House of Representatives.
The Deputy Leader of the Senate, Sen. Lola Ashiru in the absence of the Majority Leader presented the recommendations of the Lower Chamber for consideration and Concurrence .
The Bill for an Act to establish Federal College of Education, Bende in Abia State seeks to provide full-time courses, training in technology, applied sciences, commerce, social sciences, arts and humanities among others.
Kalu had in his lead debate stated that Bende has remained undivided since its creation in 1976, even though with the size of four local government areas as found in comparative federal constituencies.
“Despite its strategic location in Abia and sharing a border with Akwa Ibom, with a growing population and landmass, there is no tertiary institution in the Federal Constituency operated either by Federal or State Government. Bende deserves to have the presence of a tertiary institution to serve the education need of the teeming youthful population, especially now that the need for well-trained educationists has risen. This is accompanied by the need to fill the gaps created by both the consequences of brain drain and the lack of qualified educationists to provide quality training at all levels of education,” he said.
For the bill seeking the establishment of Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences, Bende, Abia State, he said when it becomes law, the university will be charged with the responsibility to, among other things, offer full-time training leading to the award of degrees in medical and health sciences.
Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi
Nation
South East Caucus Kicks As Senate Rejects Nwosu’s Immortalisation
South East Caucus of the Senate has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immorttalise late Professor Humphrey Nwosu considering his commitment to achieving a practical democracy for Nigerian.
The Senators visibly angered by the Senate’s rejection of the need to immortalise the late National Electoral umpire who stood for democracy through the turbulent 1993 elections stormed out of the Senate Chambers and spoke to the press .
The Chairman of the South East Caucus, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe ( Abia South), as he did in plenary on Wednesday, presented a motion for immortalisation of Humphrey Nwosu by naming the national headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) , after him , for laying the foundation in 1993 and conducting the freest and fairest Presidential election in the country .
The late Professor Nwosu was the National Chairman of the National Electoral Commission ( NEC) , now known as Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) , who through option A4, conducted the June 12, 19993 presidential election , adjudged to be the freest and fairest in the country.
Abaribe in the motion co – sponsored by 15 other Senators , said late Humphrey Nwosu deserved to be immortalised like other heroes of the June 12 , 1993 presidential election .
He also urged the Federal Government to honour the late former electoral umpire with post humous national honours .
But Abaribe’s request , seconded by Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) and supported by Senators from the South East including forner Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi ( Kebbi North) , was roundly rejected by other Senators who said the deceased deserved no immortalization .
Specifically , Senator Adams Oshiomhole ( Edo North) , in his contribution to the debate said the motion to him, was nothing but an attempt to manipulate and rewrite history.
“ Professor Humphrey Nwosu as NEC Chairman in 1993, failed to deliver on the June 12 , 1993 Presidential Election for lack of Courage
“ He who is not ready to die for something , will die for nothing
“ If he was afraid of the gun from announcing the election results and winner in 1993 , he cannot be rewarded now , more so, when many Nigerians died for what he inadvertently created “, he said .
Nneka Amaechi -Nnadi