Stakeholders in the Oyo State Steering Committee on Child Labour (OYSSCCL) have appealed to the government at the federal and state levels to consider tax waivers for corporate organisations willing to help fight the scourge of child labour in different parts of the country.
Speaking through the State Secretary, Mr Marcus Williams, the Committee noted that for the menace of child labour to be holistically addressed, corporate organisations must be made to show commitment by deliberately supporting the campaign.
He spoke in an address during a one day stakeholders meeting where the Oyo state Action Plan For the Elimination of Child Labour was presented.
Williams said “We know child labour still exist only that it is changing face on daily basis with many children being used for menial purposes.
“We believe the political will is there to address the menace but funding remains a major challenge. There is paucity of funds from development partners and we need to raise fund locally.
“The draft action plan is to be presented to the relevant arm of government. We appeal to the government to see it from an angle of implementation and not something not achievable due to paucity of fund.”
In his presentation, Mr Eigba Gregory, the Programme Director, Galilee Foundation described the meeting as a trailblazing going by its potentials to reduce child labour in the state.
He disclosed that with the draft document, the network now have a plan to coordinate its effort to eradicating child labour.
Gregory also appealed to the government to create a vote for those who are engaged in child labour eradication and that all such funds must be judiciously used for the purpose.
Recounting the various efforts of BAT in support the fight against child labour, the Head of Leaf Operations, Mr Oluwakayode Oshodi noted that the company has been working with government at all levels and with relevant agencies to fight the scourge.
He noted that the company as a matter of policy mandated its farmers to ensure their children are educated and not used for any form of child labour especially in working on the farms.
According to Oshodi, the organization has also engaged the service of independent organisations to ensure that the farmers don’t use underage to work on their farms while also providing evidence that their children are in school.
He added that there is a reward system to commend right behavior of farmers based on they have adhered to the principles of stemming child labour on the farm, noting that annually the company also rewards farmers with things that could be of help to them on their farms.
In their various presentations at the meeting, the stakeholders including government agencies, parastatals, non governmental agencies, civil society agencies, security operatives among other harped on the place of funding in spreading the fight, especially in rural areas across the state
