ABUJA – (Federal Ministry of Labour & Employment Report) – The Federal Government has pledged to support the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission in the implementation of its labour and employment programmes and policies in the region.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige (Senator) stated this in Abuja on Tuesday October 9, 2018 when he received the ECOWAS Commissioner for Social Affairs and Gender Matters, Siga Fatima Jagni (Dr) on a courtesy visit to the Ministry.
According to him, the Government and people of Nigeria are an integral part of the ECOWAS and will not shirk their responsibilities in that direction. Ngige appreciated the efforts of the Commission in forging unity in the region and pledged Nigeria’s continued support to the Commission towards the realisation of its mandate.
He assured them that Nigeria would support and adhere to all ECOWAS Labour Migration and Employment Policies, and called for proper legalization of such policies, so that people would not be short-changed and unduly harassed when they export their skills in the region.
On the election of President Muhammadu Buhari as the Chairman of the Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS, the Minister noted that the region stands to gain immeasurably, stressing that the Nigerian President has zero tolerance for corruption, with a lot of credibility. He inferred that his appointment into ECOWAS Authority of Heads of States headship by his colleagues is a step in the right direction.
Speaking earlier, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Social Affairs and Gender Matters, Siga Fatima Jagne (Dr) said that her visit was necessitated by the need to seek the support of the Minister for the implementation of labour and employment programmes and policies in the region. She added that the visit aimed specifically to request the Ministry’s collaboration in organizing the forthcoming 2018 General Assembly of the Social Dialogue Forum/Meeting of ECOWAS Ministers in charge of Labour and Employment.
Siga Fatima Jagne announced the theme of the 2018 ECOWAS Labour & Employment Ministers General Assembly which has been scheduled to hold in Abuja in December, 2018 to be: “Strengthening Social Dialogue for the Promotion of Decent Work in the ECOWAS region.”
She congratulated Nigeria on the election of President Muhammadu Buhari as the current ECOWAS Chair of Authority of the Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS.
While delivering his remarks, the Minister of State for Labour & Employment, Stephen Ocheni (Prof) reverred that Nigeria as the centre of ECOWAS would continue to play its leading role in the region, particularly in the aspect of economic
