ADVERTISEMENT
  • The Membership Club
  • PT Hausa
  • About Us
  • Advert Rates
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
Monday, January 25, 2021
Premium Times Nigeria
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Opinion
  • Health
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Parliament Watch
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • AGAHRIN
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Opinion
  • Health
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Parliament Watch
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • AGAHRIN
Premium Times Nigeria
BUA Group Ad BUA Group Ad BUA Group Ad
ADVERTISEMENT
Tijani and Yusufa in their hovel on the cattle farm. Like other children, they spend nights there with cows

Tijani and Yusufa in their hovel on the cattle farm. Like other children, they spend nights there with cows

While Nigeria keeps mum, Dutch govt acts on Premium Times investigation of FrieslandCampina WAMCO

byTaiwo-Hassan Adebayo
December 8, 2019
3 min read

The Netherlands on Friday said the child labour practice, which a PREMIUM TIMES’ investigation revealed in the Nigerian supply chain of Dutch multinational, FrieslandCampina, is being taken “seriously” and already a subject on the agenda of the European country’s food industry.

The Dutch government’s response to the investigation by PREMIUM TIMES came two days after the company, FrieslandCampina, disclosed the engagement of UK-registered Partner Africa for a social audit of its Dairy Development Programme through which it collects raw milk from farms in Nigeria.

However, the Nigerian government has remained silent days after the publication of our investigation, which spotlighted the endorsement of the Dutch company’s local milk sourcing programme by Nigeria’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Both Nigeria’s agriculture ministry and Oyo State, where FrieslandCampina sources raw milk, declined to comment when contacted during our reporting and the silence continues following the publication of the investigation on Tuesday.

Nothing has come of repeated attempts to obtain reactions from Wasiu Olatunbosun, spokesperson for Oyo State, and Ezeaja Ikemefuna, the spokesperson for the federal agriculture ministry.

Also, on Friday, Nigeria’s labour minister, Chris Ngige did not answer calls placed to his phone, nor did he reply a text message requesting him to comment on our report.

In a developing country like Nigeria where state authorities are barely effective in delivering their own responsibilities and holding multinationals to be socially responsible, children are particularly vulnerable to abuses.

However, the UNGPs for Business and Human Rights say that “The responsibility to respect human rights is a global standard of expected conduct for all business enterprises wherever they operate. It exists independently of States’ abilities and/or willingness to fulfil their own human rights obligations and does not diminish those obligations.”

“On agenda”

In a statement on Friday, Thierry van Helden, a senior official for the Dutch foreign affairs ministry, said the child labour which PREMIUM TIMES’ reported in the Nigerian supply chain of FrieslandCampina, is taken “seriously”.

RelatedNews

COVID-19 variant, causing anxiety in UK, found in Nigeria – Official

AUDIO: 13 corps members tested positive for COVID-19 at NYSC camp – official

U.S.diplomatic mission launches air-quality monitors to track pollution in Lagos, Abuja

PROFILE: AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Governor of Kwara State, Nigeria [2019 -]

“We are currently engaged in a dialogue with FrieslandCampina regarding this case,” said Mr Helden, who is the Dutch coordinator of the Public Private Partnerships and Inclusive Business. “We have also put this on the agenda of the steering group of the Dutch RBC (Responsible Business Conducts) Agreement for the Food Products Sector. Friesland Campina is part of this agreement through their Dutch industry association FNLI.”

The FNLI is the federation of food sector companies in the Netherlands.

Mr Helden said the government expects, “Dutch companies to conduct business in accordance with the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.”

Dangote adbanner 728x90_2 (1)

“In line with the OECD Guidelines,” the official continued, “companies have the primary responsibility to conduct due diligence. This means amongst others they have to adopt RBC-policies, identify possible risks in their value chains and prevent or mitigate these risks.”

Child labour

The PREMIUM TIMES’ investigation exposed how child labour routinely boosts the FrieslandCampina’s production and perhaps profits in Nigeria as the Dutch multinational fails to implement necessary due diligence that would have helped check the adverse human rights issue in its supply chain.

The children, like Yusufa Isah, six, Tijani Abubakar, 13 and Yunusa Sanusi, 10, usually sleep in hovels on isolated farms, bare of any infrastructure and water and sanitation facility. They are not receiving an education.

At 5 a.m. each day, they begin the first task of extracting milk from cows. By 11 a.m., they herd the animals to graze in the bushes and urban areas, trekking several kilometres in keeping with an outdated animal husbandry method still common in sub-Saharan Africa.

The boys return at dusk. Their ages notwithstanding, they sleep on the isolated farm apparently to ensure the security of the animals in a country where farmers and herders frequently clash over land rights and resources.

According to the current Global Estimates on Child Labour published by the ILO under the 8.7 Alliance in 2017, progress against child labour “appears to have stalled” in Africa, where 85 per cent (61.4 million) of children affected are reported to be in the agriculture sector, including livestock herding of the sort practised in Nigeria’s cattle farms at Osomo, Igbokeke, Olonje and Alaruba among others that supply FrieslandCampina.

ADVERTISEMENT

But a development expert, Seun Kolade, from the De Montfort University’s Leicester Castle Business School in the UK, said progress against child labour can be made if businesses like FrieslandCampina and others that depend on the primary sector are more socially responsible and act with due diligence to check abuses in their supply chain.

The company has vowed commitment to “preventing and eliminating” child labour in its supply chain and disclosed the engagement of Partner Africa for social audit of its Dairy Development Programme in Nigeria.

It had earlier during our reporting said, “FrieslandCampina WAMCO is glad that this concern has been brought to our attention as this gives us a chance to investigate the situation and, if necessary, to work towards providing remediation for the person(s) affected.”

Soji Apampa, who heads the Convention on Business Integrity Nigeria, said “FrieslandCampina can turn this incident into an opportunity and use the opportunity to set the standard of engagement and stamp their established leadership in the dairy sector as leadership in responsible business practices also.”

Nigeria has just recently banned foreign exchange for the importation of dairy products, meaning more companies would now source their raw milk locally with increased child labour risks given business-as-usual.

Mr Apampa said that forex policy by the Central Bank of Nigeria amounted to “bullying dairy companies into poorly thought-through backward integration attempts,” and suggested that may have “led to the cutting corners in due diligence.”

  • WhatsApp
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print
  • Telegram
  • More
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Pocket

Support PREMIUM TIMES' journalism of integrity and credibility

Good journalism costs a lot of money. Yet only good journalism can ensure the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy, and a transparent government.

For continued free access to the best investigative journalism in the country we ask you to consider making a modest support to this noble endeavour.

By contributing to PREMIUM TIMES, you are helping to sustain a journalism of relevance and ensuring it remains free and available to all.

Donate


TEXT AD: To advertise here . Call Willie +2347088095401...


JOIN THE CONVERSATION

  • Disqus (5)
premiumtimes



PT Mag Campaign AD

Previous Post

Movie Review: ‘Muna’ suggests new career angle for Adesua Etomi-Wellington

Next Post

Hajj Crane Accident: Saudi pays compensation to Nigerian victims – Official

Taiwo-Hassan Adebayo

Taiwo-Hassan Adebayo

More News

herdsmen grazing within the centre

JUST IN: South-west governors, Miyetti Allah agree to ban night, underage grazing

January 25, 2021
COVID-19 vaccine. [CREDIT: Duetsche Welle]

COVID-19: Vaccines expected by Nigeria will no longer arrive in January – Official

January 25, 2021
Nigerian Army

Shootings, confusion as Nigerian soldiers move into Imo community

January 25, 2021
Yahaya Sharif-Aminu

Blasphemy: Kano musician freed of death penalty appeals against retrial

January 25, 2021
EndSARS Protesters in Abuja 2020

Court dismisses charges against four #EndSARS protesters arrested in Abuja

January 25, 2021
It’s Official: Chelsea sack Frank Lampard

It’s Official: Chelsea sack Frank Lampard

January 25, 2021
Next Post
Kogi state pilgrims being screened in preparation for first Hajj 2018 flight at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja. [Photo credit: NAHCON]

Hajj Crane Accident: Saudi pays compensation to Nigerian victims - Official

Rice farm

Rice farmers urge Nigerian govt to sustain border closure

Discussion about this post

Search

#EndSARS: Latest Updates




Polaris Bank


JAIZ Ad


NITDA Ad




Subscribe to News via Email

Enter your email address and receive notifications of news by email.

Join 1,606,403 other subscribers.

Advertisement






netherland biz school Advert

Zenith Advert

Heritage Advert
ADVERTISEMENT

Our Digital Network

  • PT Hausa
  • Election Centre
  • Human Trafficking Investigation
  • Centre for Investigative Journalism
  • National Conference
  • Press Attack Tracker
  • PT Academy
  • Dubawa
  • LeaksNG
  • Campus Reporter

Resources

  • Oil & Gas Facts
  • List of Universities in Nigeria
  • LIST: Federal Unity Colleges in Nigeria
  • NYSC Orientation Camps in Nigeria
  • Nigeria’s Federal/States’ Budgets since 2005
  • Malabu Scandal Thread
  • World Cup 2018
  • Panama Papers Game
  • Our Digital Network
  • About Us
  • Resources
  • Projects
  • Data & Infographics
  • DONATE

All content is Copyrighted © 2020 The Premium Times, Nigeria

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Health
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • Parliament Watch
    • AGAHRIN
  • Opinion
  • PT Hausa
  • The Membership Club
  • Dubawa
    • Dubawa NG
  • About Us
  • Advert Rates
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Digital Store
  • DONATE

All content is Copyrighted © 2020 The Premium Times, Nigeria

Our website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.