Nigeria elected Chairperson of ILO governing board

Nigeria has been elected the Chair of the Governing Body of the International Labour Organisation, ILO.

This is a significant achievement for Nigeria, as it demonstrates the country’s commitment to promoting decent work and social justice on a global scale.

The ILO is a specialised agency of the United Nations that aims to promote social justice and promote decent working conditions around the world.

As the Chair of the Governing Board, Nigeria will play a crucial role in shaping the organisation’s policies and programs, and in ensuring that the ILO remains a relevant and effective force for positive change.

The election was one of the activities that concluded this year’s International Labour Conference ILC, which took place in Geneva Switzerland from 5th to 16th June 2023.

With the election done on Friday, Nigeria will Chair her first meeting of the Governing Body today, Saturday, June 17, 2023.

Nigeria’s Ambassador to Switzerland, Ambassador Richard Abiodun Adejola, thanked the members for the confidence reposed on Nigeria, promising that the trust would be held with all sense of responsibility.

He expressed the hope that “for the period of one year that Nigeria will lead the Governing Body, decisions would be reached by consensus”.

Ambassador Adejola also solicited the support of members of the Governing Body during this period of Nigeria’s leadership.

Nigeria will lead the Governing Body of the ILO from June 2023 to June 2024.

The new labour standard aims to support opportunities for people of all ages to skill, re-skill and up-skill continuously in rapidly changing labour markets.

It provides a clear definition of apprenticeships, specifies inspirational standards for quality apprenticeships, including rights and protection for apprentices.

The Conference also passed resolutions on a Just Transition, saying that it was imperative to advance a Just Transition to achieve social justice, eradicate poverty and support decent work.

They also endorsed the ILO Guidelines for a Just Transition towards environmentally sustainable economies and societies as a basis for action and the central reference for policymaking, as well as the adoption of the Conclusions of the Recurrent Discussion Committee on Labour Protection.

According to the delegates, the adopted resolutions chart a way forward towards more inclusive, adequate and effective labour protection for all workers, and creates a basis for developing a plan of action.

During the conference, 13 ratifications of International Labour Conventions were registered.

This was mainly in respect of the recently adopted convention against violence and harassment in the world of work (C190) and conventions concerning occupational and safety and health.

The conference also adopted the ILO Programme and Budget for 2024/25 session.

The delegates also resolved and reaffirmed the commitment expressed by all the ILO’s tripartite constituents to “combat all forms of discrimination and exclusion on any ground for the benefit of all while recognizing the different positions expressed on some issues”.

The 2023 International Laabour Conference was attended by about 5,000 delegates representing governments, workers and employers from the ILO’s 187 Member States.