By Victor Akhidenor
The National Policy on Labour Migration 2020 is not written in the “Thou Mayest” language style of the unrevised version of Macbeth by William Shakespeare, like most Nigerian government documents. Yet we believe you’re better off with a summary.
Currently, Nigerians are facing a lot of challenges, and there’s a growing sense of frustration and dissatisfaction with the government. So, reading a 95-page book (excluding the 11 pages of table of contents, preface, acknowledgements, abbreviations and acronyms) may add to the irritation.
After the hustle and bustle of the day, sleeping, and not reading, is definitely the natural course of action. But not sparing five minutes to read this Nigeria government’s labour migration policy before hitting the bed won’t bring down the prices of PMS (petrol) and the other PMS (Products, Motoring, and Services) we made up.
Here we go.
The federal government of Nigeria, in its determination to manage organised labour migration and harness its benefits for national development, adopted the National Policy on Labour Migration and its action plan on October 15th, 2014.
It was an initiative of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment (FMLE) which was developed with the support of the European Union (EU), the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), and the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
In 2019, the FMLE and its partners reviewed the policy with the support of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). This led to the production of the reviewed policy in 2020 and which summary you will read.
The authors broke the book down into seven parts. We bring you the aim of the significant policies.
Protection of Nigerian migrants
The policy aims to protect Nigerian workers migrating abroad from exploitation, abuse and mistreatment by establishing a strong regulatory framework to monitor and ensure compliance with labour laws in receiving countries.
Promoting safe, orderly and regular migration
The policy aims to promote safe, orderly and regular migration by providing information and awareness campaigns to potential migrants to ensure informed decision-making and strengthening cooperation with relevant international organisations in addressing the root causes of irregular migration.
Capacity building
The policy aims to strengthen the capacity and efficiency of Nigerian institutions responsible for managing labour migration, including the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS).
Job creation and employment opportunities
The policy aims to create more employment opportunities in Nigeria to reduce the need for Nigerians to migrate for work.
Protection of migrants’ rights
The policy aims to protect the rights of migrant workers, including their right to fair remuneration, safe working conditions, and access to social services.
Gender mainstreaming
The policy aims to promote gender equality by addressing the unique needs of women migrant workers and mainstreaming gender perspectives into all aspects of labour migration governance.
Stakeholder participation
The policy seeks to foster multi-stakeholder collaboration and involve relevant stakeholders, such as civil society organisations and the private sector, in the implementation of labour migration governance in Nigeria.
The book came up with strategies that could be used to implement the federal government of Nigeria’s national policy on Labour Migration 2020. Let’s break them down before you finally close your eyes.
Hold on to answering the call from your bed. Let’s tell you about the national legislation and policies relating to Labour Migration in Nigeria. They are:
1) The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As amended)
2) NAPTIP Re-enactment Act 1 & 2 (Gazette 10001 & 20001)
3) Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015 (TIPPEA)
4) Smuggling of Migrants Act, 2015
5) National Directorate of Employment Act, 1986
6) Factories Act, 2004
7) Employees’ Compensation Act, 2010
8) Child’s Rights Act, 2003
9) National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, CAPN30, 2004
10) Labour Act, 2004
11) National Migration Policy, 2014
12) National Employment Policy, 2017
13) National Diaspora Policy, 2021.
Let’s go back to some of the implementation strategies as proffered by the policy document.
Awareness campaigns: Conducting nationwide seminars, workshops and conferences aimed at sensitising the public on the need to comply with the policy. It will be done in conjunction with civil society organisations and other stakeholders.
Capacity building: Enhancing the skills and knowledge of stakeholders on labour migration laws and regulations, as well as strategies for mitigating the challenges posed by international labour mobility.
Research and data gathering: Undertaking studies and collecting data on labour migration patterns and trends, which can be used to inform policy formulation, implementation, and evaluation.
Stakeholder engagement and collaboration: Increasing the involvement and participation of stakeholders in the implementation process, including migrant workers, trade unions, employers, national agencies and other relevant actors.
Enforcement and monitoring: Strengthening the capacities of government agencies responsible for enforcing the policy, such as immigration, labour and law enforcement agencies, to ensure compliance by all stakeholders.
Partnerships and cooperation: Creating partnerships with international organisations and other countries in the region to align policies, coordinate efforts, and share best practices aimed at improving labour migration management processes.
Implementing the policy will require a holistic and coordinated approach involving various stakeholders and mechanisms. These strategies, if properly executed, can help to promote safe, orderly and regular migration, reduce irregular migration and exploitation, and maximise the benefits of labour migration for both the country of origin and destination.
Can you spare two more minutes?
Yes.
Fantastic!
The book also looked at some of the best labour migration practices employed around the world. Some of these are:
Bilateral Agreements: Bilateral agreements between sending and receiving countries ensure that labour migration is managed effectively and that the rights of migrants are protected.
Recruitment and Placement Practices: Recruitment and placement practices must be regulated and monitored to ensure the protection of migrant workers. This can be done by requiring recruitment agencies to be licensed and to adhere to certain standards of operation.
Employment Contracts: Migrants should be provided with written employment contracts that clearly outline their rights and obligations, as well as those of their employers.
Social Protection: Migrant workers should be entitled to the same social protections as other workers, including access to healthcare, education, and social security.
Integration Programmes: Integration programmes help ensure that migrant workers can fully participate in the societies in which they live and work. This can include language training, cultural orientation, and support for finding housing and other necessities.
Monitoring and Evaluation: Regular monitoring and evaluation of labour migration schemes and policies can help identify areas for improvement and ensure that the rights of migrant workers are protected.
Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration: The involvement of multiple stakeholders (government, employers, workers, civil society) can help ensure that labour migration policies and practices are effective and sustainable.
That’s a wrap. But before you grab your wrapper, are you dissatisfied with this summary? Do you still want to read the full version of the National Policy on Labour Migration 2020? Well, if you do, we harbour no hard feelings.
You can get a copy of the book at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment’s headquarters in Abuja. Or go to any of its 37 state offices nearest to you.
Thirty-seven state offices?
Sorry, we meant 36 state labour offices and the FCT labour office!
Akhidenor can be reached via [email protected]
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