Hon. Taiwo Oluga
A member of the National Assembly Service Commission representing the South West, Hon. Taiwo Oluga has raised alarm over the persistent rise in child labour across the country.
She spoke in Osogbo, Osun State capital on Thursday as Nigeria joins the global community to observe the International Day Against Child Labour.
She lamented in a statement commemorating the day, that despite the domestication of the Child Rights Act in most states, cases of child exploitation remain widespread and deeply troubling.
Her words, “We have sufficient legislation in Nigeria to curb child labour,” she said. “But the major challenge lies in enforcement, especially at the subnational level where most violations occur.”
Oluga, a former member of the House of Representatives for Irewolede/Ayedaade/Isokan Federal Constituency, noted that the problem extends beyond poverty and policy deficiencies.
She attributed much of the persistence of child labour to harmful cultural practices that normalize the exploitation of children.
Calling for urgent and proactive intervention by state and local governments, she emphasized the need for action beyond policy declarations, insisting on the importance of grassroots-level enforcement of child protection laws.
Oluga commended the President Bola Tinubu administration for prioritizing child and youth welfare through education-focused policies and protective initiatives.
She also hailed the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu for her consistent advocacy on child welfare, describing her as a “motherly figure” whose social intervention programs have brought renewed hope to vulnerable children.
“The First Lady’s initiatives have brought visibility and renewed hope to children across the country,” Oluga said, adding, “Her commitment has complemented government efforts to ensure no child is left behind.”
She appealed to parents, guardians, educators, religious and community leaders to support the federal government’s goal of providing free and compulsory universal basic education, as mandated by the Child Rights Act.
Also, she warned against the common practice of sending children to live with relatives, or acquaintances in urban areas, under the pretext of securing better opportunities. Many of these children, she said, end up in domestic servitude, forced labour, or as victims of human trafficking, sometimes across international borders.
“Law enforcement agencies must rise to the occasion by enforcing the provisions of the Child Rights Act without fear or favour,” she charged.
Oluga reiterated that effective enforcement of existing child protection laws is critical to realizing the Tinubu administration’s vision for a safer, more inclusive, and prosperous Nigeria for its children and youth.
