-ECOWAS, ILO Pledge More SUPPORT
The Joint Delegation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the International Labor Organization (ILO), visiting Liberia, has pledged their institutions' increased support to the ongoing campaign to eliminate child labor.
A Labor Ministry press statement issued Thursday shortly following an hour-long meeting with Labor Minister, Cllr. Cooper W. Kruah, Sr., at the EJS Ministerial Complex in Congo Town, head of delegation, Dr. Alves D'Almada Fernando Jorge, also Principal Officer for Social Affairs of the Federal Government of Nigeria, commended Labor Minister Kruah for stepping up the child labor campaign and assured that his team will lobby with their respective institutions to increase financial and logistical support to Liberia in the ongoing child labor campaign.
Dr. Jorge called on member countries of ECOWAS and ILO for increased budgetary support to combat child labor.
He expressed grave concern over the alarming rate of the menace across the West Africa Sub-Region, including Liberia.
He emphasized the name for concerted efforts by stakeholders to accelerate the fight to achieve its ultimate objective of total elimination.
Earlier, Liberia’s Labor Minister, Cllr. Cooper W. Kruah, Sr., welcomed the Joint ECOWAS/ILO Delegation on behalf of President Joseoh Nyuma Boakai and assured them of Government’s fullest commitment to the child labor fight.
Minister Kruah recalled his position at the recent Morocco Conference on Child labor during which Liberia made a progress report, outlining several measures undertaken by Government to enhance the child labor fight.
He further revealed that the Labor Ministry currently has a draft bill at the National Legislature on advancing the fight to eliminate the worst forms of child labor, in line with ILO Convention Number 138 and 182; all aimed at Government's compliance to ILO Regulations governing Child Labor.
The Labor Minister, however, decried low budgetary support to the child labor campaign and called on international partners for more financial and logistical relief.
He disclosed that labor inspectors deployed across the country are pairing with agents of other State entities, including Ministries of Justice, Gender and Education, as well as the Liberia Immigration Service (LIS) in combating child labor in Liberia.
Meanwhile, the delegation has embarked on a tour of several child labor related regions of Liberia, including Bomi, Gbarpolu and Margibi Counties. The delegation is accompanied by the Labor Ministry Director of Child Labor, Madam Patience Heah.
