The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has launched an online-based tools, Migrant Recruitment Advisor (MRA) as part of her efforts to fight against exploitation of migrant workers.
The MRA is an online-based, technology-driven tool that migrant workers can utilise to reduce and ultimately eliminate the exploitation and abuses that they are exposed to, experience and suffering in the course of their labour migration journey.
The Advisor has several features which allows migrants to report defaulting recruitment agencies as well as share their migration experience.
The MRA was developed with support from the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the African Regional Organization of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa)
Speaking at the launch, NLC General Secretary Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja expressed the Congress’ readiness to continue to protect the human and labour rights of migrant workers and also contribute to efforts to defeat fragility and build resilience and stability to counter forced mobility.
He said: “This is one of the ways as trade unions, we are contributing to other stakeholders’ efforts to prevent desperate journeys where many get stranded, defrauded, frustrated, abused and in worst cases died.
“As NLC, we shall continue to support all actors, especially critical stakeholders in the world of work in their several positive and pragmatic initiatives deployed to assist migrants, migrant workers and members of their families and communities to ensure the protection of their human and labour rights and contribute to efforts to defeat fragility and build resilience and stability to counter forced mobility.
“We have affirmed that fair recruitment and responsive governance are some of the ways to tame exploitation and abuses in the world of work, eliminate poverty and inequality. In essence, the pursuit of fair recruitment for all including migrant workers ensures that the migrants, their families, business, receiving and host economies all benefit. We shall continue to donate efforts in the realisation of this goal.”
While declaring the event open, Ms Kachollom Daju, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment, expressed the federal government’s optimism that the MRA e platform would further support government’s efforts to reduce incidences of irregular migration and, if possible, eliminate it.
She said, guided by the ILO’s General Principles and Operational Guidelines for Fair Recruitment, the federal government hopes this worker union initiative will further strengthen the government’s ongoing efforts through enhanced collaboration with our Social Partners.