Labour minister assumes office as PGE of ILO

Minister of Labour and Employment Chris Ngige, on Thursday, assumed office as President of Groupe Governemental (PGE) of the Governing Board - of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) at its 337 session in Geneva, Switzerland.

Ngige was handed over the office, domiciled in ILO’s headquarters by Nigeria’s Labour Attaché in Geneva, Mr. Aniefiok Essa, who had been overseeing it on behalf of the Nigerian Mission since June 2019.

In his address to the governing board’s plenary, Ngige gave a remarkable push to the agitation for the democratisation of the ILO

Governing Board, throwing his weight behind the Africa group’s position that the democratisation process which started in 1986 be fast-forwarded to assist the tripartite working group established by the 108th session of the ILO in June this year.

He the said ratification though of the democratization amendments had been yielding acceptance among members since it commenced 33 years ago, the organisation still has unfinished business as regards the democratisation of its structures to ensure fair representation of all regions and equity among member states.

“We are however encouraged that the continuous promotion of this ratification is not only a permanent item on our Governing Board agenda whose report is expected from the DG, but also an opportunity to constantly remind our members of the unfinished business of the democratisation of the governing body of our organisation,” he said.