Child trafficking - Nation to strengthen collaboration with ILO

Nigeria is to strengthen collaboration with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) towards combating child trafficking and other forms of forced labour.

Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu gave the country's resolve in an address to the plenary session of the ongoing International Labour Conference in Geneva, Switzerland.

Noting recent approvals by President Goodluck Jonathan in safeguarding jobs threatened by the worldwide economic recession, Wogu equally pledged the government's determination to bring all citizens under a safety net in a comprehensive social security scheme soon to be announced.

"On Child Labour, Chairperson, Nigeria notes with great concern the rising incidence of this scourge, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. We therefore associate ourselves with the efforts of the ILO in combating this menace. In this respect, Nigeria has not only ratified the relevant ILO conventions but has put in place the necessary institutional mechanisms to ameliorate the situation," Wogu said.

He equally disclosed the government's plans of further securing the well being of workers through the introduction of a comprehensive national policy on social security.

In a related development, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Iyom Josephine Anenih has decried the increasing rate of child abuse in the country saying it is a serious issue that requires immediate attention from all stakeholders.

The minister stated yesterday in Abuja at the celebration of the 2010 Day of the African Child (DAC) that poverty along with other cultural traits has resulted to middle men exploiting the desperation and ignorance of parents to procure children for trafficking.

Anenih, who was represented by the Director of the National Women Development Centre (NWDC), Hajiya Fatima Hassan reiterated that the trafficking rackets have assumed alarming proportions channeling huge numbers of children into employment markets of major towns, even outside the shores of Nigeria.

She added that the involvement of the children in drug abuse, domestic and forced labour, child prostitution, pornography, as well as forced marriage, rape and abduction negates the rights of the child to survival and good life.

Wogu also used the opportunity to commend the ILO for its efforts in sustaining economic recovery noting that the contributions of the ILO especially the endorsement of the Global Jobs Pact by government and social partners is already manifesting in various national development efforts.

"Nigeria notes with appreciation the role of the ILO in situating employment issues at the heart of the recovery process. The endorsement of the Global Jobs Pact by regional and multilateral agencies as a tool for combating the devastating effects of the global economic and financial crisis is already manifesting in various national development efforts," Wogu said.

This Day

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West Ham want Vincent Enyeama

New boss Avram Grant is keen on the Hapoel Tel-Aviv stopper, who was superb for the Super Eagles against Argentina last week.

Israeli Grant now plans a £4m swoop.

A Hammers insider said: "Enyeama was absolutely superb against Argentina and he'd be a brilliant buy.

"So Avram Grant is using his Israeli connections to clinch a deal as soon as the World Cup ends."

The news is another blow for England No 1 Green after his horrific blunder gifted the USA a draw in last Saturday's tussle.

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Rebranding country is not for money-making - Akunyili

Minister of Information and Communications, Prof. Dora Akunyili has said in Abuja, that "Re-branding Nigeria Image" project was not a money-making venture.

Akunyili made the clarification at a forum to initiate the project to replace the former image project, Heart of Africa.

She said: " I want to assure Nigerians that this is not a money-making venture. If money was my goal and I say it with all sincerity, I would have stuck with the Heart of Africa project, since it was mainly overseas oriented.

"I would have planned trips to countries, pick my allowances and have few hours meeting with Nigerians and foreigners, pay courtesy calls to information ministers, have photo sessions, take some rest and maybe do a little shopping. "But I have chosen the tedious option of evolving a home-grown branding which will involve all Nigerians."

Akunyili maintained that the Heart of Africa, just as past projects as Green Revolution and Vision 2000, failed to achieve their desired objectives due to a lack of public support.

Akunyili said: "Heart of Africa could not fly for many reasons. The name was contentious as Malawi was the first to use that slogan.

"Many other African countries have laid claim to being the Heart of Africa. Secondly, it was launched overseas and that automatically disconnected the ordinary Nigerians.

"However, we are not going to throw away the baby with the bath water. We will incorporate all the positive aspects of the Heart of Africa and other government initiatives."

According to her, the new branding project will be cost effective, as the ministry will only make use of local consultants. "We also intend to get free publicity for our international audience through Nigeria private institutions," she said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the focus of the Heart of Africa, started in 2004, was image management through campaign against negative stereotypes.

In 2008, the project, which is domiciled in the Ministry of Information, received N300 million budget. The House Committee Chairman on Information and National Orientation, Mr. Dino Melaye, lamented the waste of billions of naira in the Heart of Africa project by past administrations.

"I had told the minister during the defense of the Ministry's budget last month that we are not going to approve one naira for the Heart of Africa project. "This is because billions of naira appropriated for the project in the past was used for travelling and tourism globally. "Domestic issues should have been tackled domestically. You have to tackle the problems in this country before you start gallivanting abroad," Melaye told NAN.

He gave an assurance that the committee would ensure that appropriate funds were provided for the new image project in the 2010 budget, after an appraisal of its performance this year.

Responding to the minister's address, the Director-General of NTA, Malam Usman Magawata, appealed for more government support, noting that the station was ready for the re-branding project.

"In NTA, we try to differentiate between national exposure and international appeal.Whatever that is not in the interest of Nigeria should not be for external consumption," he said.

Daily Champion

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Messi hails Enyeama

 

Lionel Messi saluted a "phenomenal" display from Vincent Enyeama after the Nigeria goalkeeper produced the performance of his life to deny the Argentine forward in their Group B game on Saturday.

"The goalkeeper was phenomenal," Messi said after Argentina were limited to a 1-0 win over Nigeria at Ellis Park with Enyeama producing a series of tremendous saves to thwart the world player of the year.

"He takes all the credit. We played a great game today and created a lot of chances. We just couldn't get the second goal."

Enyeama said he needed to put on the performance of his life to deny Messi his first goal at the 2010 World Cup. Asked how he stopped Messi from scoring, Enyeama said: "God is my secret, just God. He made me calm."

Argentina's winner came from a corner which followed a superb Messi chip which Enyeama had palmed over.

Midway through the first half, in a trademark cut inside from the right, the little ace hit a curling shot to the far corner only for Enyeama to dive and turn the ball away.

Messi threatened again near the end of the half when he curled a lovely shot toward Enyeama's top right corner with the keeper again leaping to tip the ball wide.

And shortly before the end Enyeama denied Messi once more, blocking a close range shot after the Argentine forward found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper.

Meanwhile, Pillar of Sports, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, gave kudos to the Eagles for a good fight, despite the loss to star-studded Argentina. He said the Eagles were graceful in defeat. "Nigerians should not lose hope. This team will improve," said the Pillar of Sports.

In a statement signed by Emeka Obasi, Special Assistant (Media) to Dr. Kalu, the former Abia State governor, lauded the boys' fighting spirit, and urged them to go for goals in subsequent matches.

Daily Champion

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Lagerback explains Maradona snub

Nigeria head coach Lars Lagerback has explained why he didn't shake the hand of his counterpart, Argentina's Diego Maradona, after the match on Saturday.

Nigeria lost 1-0 to La Albiceleste at the Coca-Cola Park Stadium in Johannesburg and the Swede walked off-the-field without offering Maradona a handshake, a custom in soccer games, drawing conclusions from the media that he had been too upset with the loss or his players for the number of chances they missed in the second half.

"You can do that (shake hands) whenever you like. It doesn't have to be straight after the match. No, there was no reason why I didn't shake his hand," said Lagerback. "I have a lot of respect for him and it is not a problem for me shaking his hand," he said.

Turning his focus to the defeat, Lagerback said he was gutted, for the Super Eagles deserved a draw. "Of course I'm very disappointed but I was really impressed with my players, because they did very well against some of the best players in the world. We deserved a draw," he said.

Despite hailing his players' efforts, Lagerback admitted he felt they could have done better in dealing with Juan Veron's corner that picked Gabriel Heinze unmarked in the box to score Argentina's only goal with a diving header in the sixth minute.

"I have given my players a lot of credit for doing so well in dead-ball situations during the friendlies but the way games are played at this level is that if you lose concentration and don't mark players in the box you are going to be punished we were punished this time, otherwise I think we could have earned a draw, but we are not out of it yet," said Lagersback, whose side face Greece on June 17 in Bloemfontein in their next match.

Lagerback also defended the choice to start with Chinedu Ogbuke Obasi on Nigeria's left side of attack in place of a well-established Peter Odemwingie.

"We thought Obasi was the best player to play and that was the reason. I thought he did a very good first half but he got tired in the second half but he lived up to the expectation I had on him," he concluded.

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