Nigeria now Vice President of ILO

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, has become the Vice President of Government Group of International Labour Organization (ILO).
In a statement issued on Saturday and signed by Mr Samuel Olowookere, Director of Press in the ministry, disclosed that Ngige was elected at 107th session of the International Labour Conference(ILC) held from May28 to June8.
“While Azerbaijan is the current President. Nigeria is expected to take over the Presidency Group at the 108th session of ILC in June 2019.
“It will be a great honour to serve the Government group during the centenary celebration of the ILO in 2019, “ he said.
According to him, Ngige also addressed the 334th session of the governing body of ILO on behalf of the Report of the Director-General- second supplementary report on the composition of the governing body.
Olowookere said the report was an update on the status of ratification of the 1986 instrument for the amendment of the constitution of the ILO.
“It will be recalled that in 1986, the ILC adopted an instrument of amendment proposing changes that affected 11 of the 40 articles within the constitution of ILO.
“The amendment addressed three main areas, namely, the composition and governance of the governing body of the office, the procedure for appointment of the Director-General.
“Also, the rules governing how the constitution may be amended,“ he said
He said that principal aim of proposed amendment was to make membership of governing body more representative by providing means of appointment of its members taking into account various geographic, economic and social interest of its constituent groups.
Olowookere said numbers of the governing body under the constitution would increase from 56 to 112 and the manner of their allocation would also be affect if 1986 amendment entered into force.
“Of the 112 seats, 56 would be allocated to government representatives and 28 each to employers` and workers` representatives. There will no longer be non-elective seats reserved for the ten member states.
“Member states of chief industrial important (Brazil, China, France, Germany, Japan, Russia, United Kingdom and the United States of America).
“Of the 56 seats reserved for government, 54 would be distributed among the geographic regions-Africa, the Americas, Asia and Europe-with a minimum of 12 and a maximum of 15 seats for each region,“ he said.
He added that ILO had engaged in promotional campaign to encourage member states to ratify the instrument over the last three decades.
According to him, as at Sept 4, the number of ratification stood at 108, including two members of the chief industrial importance (India and Italy).
He said 17 ratification or acceptance, including at least three members of the chief industrial importance were required to meet the threshold for coming into force of the amendment.
“The Minister called on the governing body to supplement its promotional campaign effort with a renewed mandate to the Director-General if the amendment is expected to take effect.
“He urged member states who are yet to ratify instrument to do so without further delay in the spirit of the forthcoming centenary celebration of the ILO 2019.
“He also requested ILO should constructively engaged at the highest political level with Heads Government of Members of Industrial Importance and Africa to explore alternate opportunities and options to achieve a speedier ratification,“ he said.