By NAN
The Federal Government, Roost Foundation and other stakeholders have solicited for massive and effective awareness creation to checkmate human trafficking, irregular migration, sexual and gender based violence.
They made this known at a Town Hall Meeting on the prevention of human trafficking, irregular migration, sexual and gender based violence on Wednesday in Abuja.
Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, in her keynote address says her Ministry is a critical and primary stakeholders in the humanitarian and social sector.
“Through the ministry, we coordinate President Muhammadu Buhari’s agenda towards transforming the lives of Nigerians both home and abroad to ensure that they live a life of sustainable progress, where they are free from scourge of irregular migration, human trafficking and gender based violence.
“Our agencies like NCFRMI and NAPTIP have recorded success in appending traffickers both home and abroad and ensuring they are prosecuted; some have been incarcerated.
“To ensure that we make progress, all hands must be on deck towards eliminating the challenges of Human Trafficking, Migration and Gender Based Violence in Nigeria.
“There is the absolute need for massive sensitisation to educate the people. This will go a long way to checkmate the menace in our society. Hence we look forward to collaborating and partnering with NGOs like Roost Foundation, the media and others,” Farouq said.
The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that Farouq was represented at the event by Hajara Ahmed, Head of Planning, Research and Statistics in the ministry.
Similarly, the Founder of Roost Foundation Dr Julie Oka-Donli said the government over the years had been working with international organisations to address the issues of irregular migration, human trafficking and gender based violence.
She corroborated Farouq’s idea of enlightenment and awareness creation to checkmate irregular migration and human trafficking.
Oka-Donli also hinted that bullying is a violent act and should also be criminalise to address issues relating to it.
She, however, commended NAPTIP and other Agencies that were in the forefront of combating irregular migration, human trafficking and sexual and gender based violence.
Also speaking, Mrs Ebelechukwu Enida, the Nigeria Coordinator of AGA-Africa, said most people were not aware of what constitute trafficking, because they engage in it.
“But, let it be known that, ignorance is not an excuse before the law. So the best way to fight, it is to create awareness and let people know about the dangers and consequences of it.
“We had trainings for law enforcement agencies. This is to ensure that we share information and encourage trans-national corporation among African countries that have been part of us.
“And, we discovered that it is actually working, because, it breaks the ice between these countries and as such, maximum corporation is achieve in combating human trafficking, irregular migration and Sexual and gender based violence,” she said.
NAN reports that high points of the event were a documentary about Roost Foundation and an animated film on Violence on Children which emphasized on bullying.
The vent attracted officials from Embassy, of Sweden in Nigeria, Ministries of Youths and Sports development, Women Affairs and from NYSC, FRSC, Nigerian Immigration Service, Nigeria Police and others.(NAN)(