The International Labour Organization (ILO) in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour, the Liberia Labour Congress (LLC) and the Liberia Chamber of Commerce (LCC) have concluded a two-day Capacity Building Workshop for Tripartite and other key stakeholders for the Promotion of the ratification and domestication of ILO Conventions Number: 100, 138 and the 1986 ILO amendment to its Constitution.
Speaking during the opening of the workshop, ILO Country Manager, Mr. Salif Massalay said that the workshop is designed and financed by the ILO and is held under the theme: “Strengthening institutional capacities in Liberia for ratification, domestication and reporting on International Labour Standards”.
The ILO Country Manager noted that the workshop aims to achieving three very important milestones namely:
Result 1: Ratification of Conventions No. 100, No. 138, as well as other technical Conventions as recommended by the SRM TWG (such as Convention No. 160) and the 1986 amendment to the ILO Constitution by the government
Result 2. – Amended draft Decent Work bill and submitted to the Parliament for approval/ enactment
Result 3: Liberia consistently meets its reporting obligations on ratified and other conventions to the ILO in a timely manner.
Mr. Massalay further noted that “We are here more specifically in furtherance to the achievement of the first milestone.
Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100), the Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) and the 1986 ILO amendment to the Constitution. These conventions are two of ILO Core or fundamental Conventions that are yet to be ratified by Liberia and the only Country in Africa to do so”.
Mr. Massalay maintained “So after this workshop we should all start burning our respective wires through talk shows which the ILO will organize and through other medium to ensure that they’re ratified. The Hon Minister here has given his backing to do so. And we crave on all here and outside to do likewise”.
In conclusion, the ILO Country Manager underscored the need for Trade and Labour Union leaders as well stakeholders in the labour sector of Liberia to advocate for the ratification and the domestication of the ILO conventions on equal work equal pay, child labor and the enforcement of the decent work act.
In special remarks, Labour Minister Cllr. Charles H. Gibson used the occasion to call on the Liberia Chambers of Commence to ensure the provision of five hundred jobs for Liberians in the companies and entities owned by their members.
He said that government cannot be looking for jobs for Liberians when some of these companies are bringing in other nationals purposely to fill or occupy jobs that Liberians are capable of doing.
Minister Gibson threatened to revoke the Work Permit of heads of companies and concessions that will not cooperate with the government in providing jobs, especially those being earmarked for Liberians.
He said that the Ministry of Labour under his administration will work to ensure that more Liberians are place on job with major concessions in the country.
The workshop which was held at the RLJ Kendeja Hotel, Monrovia from March 8-9 2021 brought together participants from the Press Union of Liberia, the Liberia Labor Congress, Civil Servants Association of Liberia, staff of the Ministry of Labour including Labour Commissioners, amongst others.
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