Lalong attends 349th ILO session in Geneva

Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong is leading the nation’s delegation to the 349th Session of the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva, Switzerland.

Lalong, who is accompanied by some heads of agencies under the Ministry, was received upon arrival at the ILO Headquarters by Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and Geneva Ambassador, Richard Abiodun Adejola, as well as the Ministry of Labour attaché to ILO, Essa Aniefok.

Lalong, who is making his first appearance at the ILO since assuming office as the Minister of Labour and Employment, was given a short tour of the ILO headquarters before meeting with Ambassador Adejola, who is holding fort under Nigeria’s Chairmanship of the Governing body.

Thereafter, the governing body convened, and Nigeria’s Ambassador Adejola presided over the debate on various items on the agenda at the event.

Some of the issues debated include harnessing technology in the digital era, protecting whistle-blowers in the public service workplace, access to labour justice, worker protection against chemical hazards, and standard-setting agendas, among others.

The Minister of Labour and Employment commended Ambassador Richard Adejola for successfully running the meetings of the ILO Governing Body under the Chairmanship of Nigeria.

During the consideration of the report on Bangladesh, the Minister made a presentation where the efforts made by the country to address some Labour issues were acknowledged and the country was encouraged to sustain the actions.

Former NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, who is also a member of the ILO Governing Body, said Nigeria has done well in running the affairs of the Governing Body.

Those accompanying the Minister are the Director General, Michael Imoudu Institute for Labour Studies, Issa Aremu, Chief Registrar of Industrial Arbitration Panel, Hamidu Ali Ibrahim, DG NDE Abubakar Fikpo, Director General of the National Productivity Centre, Dr Mustapha Raji, and some senior officials from the Ministry of Labour and Employment.