The Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment (FMLE) says the promotion of labour migration is one of the key ways to increase the contributions of international labour migration to national development.

The Director, Employment and Wages, FMLE, Mr John Nyamali, made this known at the opening of a three-day Stakeholders’ Sensitisation Workshop for the Implementation of the Revised National Policy on Labour Migration (NPLM) on Tuesday in Lagos.

The workshop was organised by FMLE in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

Nyamali was represented by the Head, International Labour Migration Division, FMLE, Abuja, Dr Sunday Onazi.

The director said that managing migration represented a growing challenge, as Nigeria occupied an important position in the global migration landscape.

‘’It is against this backdrop that the government of Nigeria adopted the NPLM Oct. 15, 2014, revised in 2020, to promote safe, fair, regular labour migration.

‘’This is also to harness its benefits for national development, as well as to combat the increasing challenges of irregular migration, exploitative practices, forced labour, smuggling, and human trafficking, ‘’ he said.

Nyamali said that the ministry decided to convene the workshop in order to sensitise stakeholders on the provisions of the NPLM and to prepare for its implementation.

According to him, the policy will have enormous advantage to Nigerians migrating.

“Nigerians need to have a proper governance framework when it comes to the issue of Labour migration.

‘’However, it is our belief that this stakeholders’ sensitisation workshop will afford us the opportunity to present the provisions of the revised policy to our social partners and relevant stakeholders.

‘’This will be done through the presentations that will be made by the consultant engaged with the support of ILO to implement the project — support to the operationalisation of the revised NPLM.

‘’Thus, this workshop is aimed at facilitating the operationalisation of the revised NPLM through collaboration, sensitisation and awareness, ‘’ the director said.

In her remarks, the Director, ILO Abuja, Ms Vanessa Phala, said that the policy afforded stakeholders and the country at large a governance framework to engage, particularly, in designated roles.

Phala, represented by the National Project Officer, ILO, Mr Austin Erameh, said this included identifying the priorities for government in the area of labour migration.

‘’Interestingly, one thing that did not come up while the revised policy was being reviewed and adopted was the issue of gender.

‘’Now, the unique introduction of the revised policy is a gender component; and what this component does is that it makes this policy gender responsive.

‘’It introduces a component in ensuring that female migrant workers are adequately protected with the necessary safeguard mechanisms, as well as, ensuring there are necessary resources.

‘’Also, the contribution of our social workers, both the employers and workers organisations are adequately captured.

‘’That is why we are in Lagos for the first stream of the sensitisation activity and same will be holding in Abuja, ‘’ she said.