From: Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin City
The Federal Government is set to tackle the illegal migration of youths to other countries through the involvement of state, local governments as well as community-based organisations.
Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and internal Displaced Persons, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Faruk, said this, on Thursday, in Benin-City, during a two day sensitization workshop for South-South geo-politica zone with the theme, “consolidating the migration governance.
Hajiya Sadiya said the federal government is concern about illegal migration of youths because most of the youths who had undertook the journey are either killed or tortured on the way.
She affirmed that migration programmes and coordination activities have been restricted to federal institutions with little or no participation from states and local governments which governed migrating population.
According to her, during the 2016 National Migration Dialogue, it was noted that the development has exposed the gap that existed in the operation of federal agencies and the state governments in terms of migration governance.
She said that inclusion of states and local government is the most effective and efficient way to bring migration discourse closer grassroots who feel the impart of both positives and negatives effect of migration management and mismanagement.
” The objective of the workshop is to integrate states, local governments and community based organisation into the migration governance structure through establishment of migration desk in all the states of the federation.
She added, it would also give participants the opportunity to be sensitised about the provision of the NMD policies and the various approach and strategies being employed for migration management in Nigeria.
Also speaking, Governor Godwin Obaseki said to effectively tackle ilegal migration, the issue of rural urban migration should be address first.
“If we can tackle the rural-urban migration by resolving issues of welfares, infrastructure and amenities we would have been able to tackle the problem of youths leaving the country for greener pasture under worst inhuman treatment
Represented by his deputy, Philp Shaibu, Obaseki noted that some of the youths that are involved in anti human activities are as a result of idleness, lack of jobs and care which resulted to others taken advantage of the youths.
He urged the participants to come up with a communique which he said the state would relied on in formulating polices to curb migration in the next four years.
” to solve the illegal migration of youths in Edo, we are opening 2000 hectares of land for farming and at the end of this year we would also have Edo rice,” he said
In the same vein, the commissioner also visited the Internally Displaced Persons at their Camp at Uhuogua in Ovia North East Local Government Area of the state, in a hot tears, assured them of the federal government constant support noting that the leadership of President Mohammadu Buhari would do everything possible to put smiles on their faces.
“The president is with you and has not forgotten you people permanently. You should be good citizens of this country. Pray for the government that is fighting the insurgency.
“I have come to see for myself that this IDP camp is real. I want you to be good children, read your books so that you can be great leaders tomorrow”, she said.
She said the commission would make plans to see that the widows amongst them and equipped them with skills to enable them take care of their children and wards.
“For the widows, we will come back to see how we are going to help you with some skill acquisitions so that you will be able to take care of your children”, she said.
She further presented food items and toiletries to the children.
Responding to the gesture on behalf of the children, proprietor of the camp, Pastor Solomon . A. Folorunsho thanked the federal government for remembering them in their times of needs.
He said the camp is still in dire need of textbooks and foods to meet the needs of the growing population of the children in the camp.