Nation
JAPA’ Syndrome: JIFORM Seeks Solution To Irregular Migrations
The Journalists International Forum For Migration (JIFORM) in Nigeria has met with both national and international stakeholders to tackle the menace of lingering human trafficking and irregular migrations in the country.
JIFORM President, Dr Ajibola Abayomi, in his remarks yesterday in Lagos said the conference was aimed at finding lasting solutions to human trafficking and irregular migrations.
“Necessity is the mother of invention; in Nigeria and as Nigerians, we cannot continue to live in the denial as huge number of our citizens are being lured and sold into slavery.
“These are done at intervals through irregular migration and human trafficking whether they are victims of deceit or they are desperate to seek greener pasture abroad certainly.
“At the same time, all these efforts are also geared towards encouraging journalists to stay focused on migration issues that shape the global space.
“One thing is certain about Nigeria; whatever the situation is for now, it will definitely become history tomorrow and this nation shall be better for it,” he said.
According to him, both the government and leaders at different levels of our community must come together to address factors fuelling the migration menaces in our dear country.
He said, “We must be bothered about “Japa” syndrome, a lexicon that many Nigerian youths embrace out of ignorance.
Abayomi said when you ‘japa’, you put yourself and your future at a disadvantage.
The JIFORM President said without fear of contradiction, the best way to reap the reward of migration in advanced countries or anywhere was when purposefully and legally planned for the journey.
“Our migration policies should confer more dignity on Nigerians instead of stating the obvious on the paper alone.
“There should be more political will to create an enabling environment to address the pull and push factors encouraging irregular migration,” he added.
Professor Fatima Waziri-Azi, the Director General, of NAPTIP, in her remarks said migration from one place to another was a right of everyone.
According to her, migration as we all know is a right and when well used/practiced, is a key factor in the development of societies.
“As people move, they take their skills and knowledge from their points/countries of origin to countries of destination.
“You will also agree with me that diaspora remittance is one of Nigeria’s sources of foreign exchange. However, this win-win situation can only be achieved through regular, well planned and safe migration.
“This brings us to the crux of the matter, the missing link – irregular migration. These missing links include: The desperation of or ignorance of many Nigerian migrants which has led them to exploring irregular migration paths.
“This render them vulnerable and easy prey for human trafficking, smuggling of migrants and various forms of exploitation,” she said.
She added that the narratives out there that vilified migrants and portrayed them as a burden on destination countries rather than assets was part of the factors.
The DG said that the belief that opportunities only existed outside the country (the grass is greener elsewhere) on the part of the traffickers made the vulnerable be exploited and denied their basic rights ignoring the provisions of the law.
“A common tread that runs through these missing links is “ignorance”.
“That is why NAPTIP is glad to collaborate with the media in tackling ignorance as a major factor facilitating the continuous proliferation of human trafficking and irregular migration,” she added.
The Chairman of the Nigerians In Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, said, in her contributions, that the country spent much money in evacuating its citizens from other countries.
Dabiri-Erewa, who was represented by Mr Rahman Balogun, said that what some of nationals were doing in other countries were bad.
According to him, thousands of irregular migrants have been evacuated from Libya in the recent time.
“Recently, we received some of them at the airport and during our interrogations with them we discovered no one of them had travelling passport.
“We advise parents and the larger society to reduce the way they pressurise their children to seek greener pastures abroad for survival.
A Representative of The Nigerian-German Center for Jobs, Migration and Reintegration, Mrs Sandra Alonge, in her remarks, thanked JIFORM for putting the summit together to engage issues related to migration among the stakeholders.
“Through this summit, together we can engage in issues related to migration, at a national level and among important stakeholders.
“There, we can work on this hot topic, not just in Nigeria, but around the world. For many, to JAPA, is the ultimate dream,” Alonge said.
She, however, said irregular migration continues put young Nigerians at risk of losing their lives with no guarantees for a better future at the end of the tunnel.
Prof. Layi Esho, of Department of Mass Communication, Ogun State Polytechnic, said most of the experience came from the media who focused on various migration channels.
“We need to focus our attention on media in this summit to combat the irregular migrations.
Also we need to look into the public policy and issues that encourage the intending migrants because it has become a major problem as it involve large number of people.
“We should also focus on the route the victims take, the people who lure them to it and individual decision from regular migrants to irregular after expiration of Visa ie that’s abuse of Visa,” Esho said.
According to him, we read a lot of narratives about their maltreatment and job experience out there.
A non- governmental organisation under the aegis of South South Media Association has presented an award to the Divisional Police Officer, Omoku ,CSP John Ladan.
The event which held recently in Omoku in Ogba/ Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, saw the attendance of top ranking officers and well wishers who gathered to celebrate an icon.
Presenting the award, the Chairman of the group, Kio Hopeson, said following the DPO’s selfless service to humanity, peace and development of the society, the group found him worthy to receive the award.
Hopeson hinted that the award had long been overdue, as his posting to Omoku had brought about peace, social harmony and drastic reduction of crime, saying, his open door policy and ensuring that every stakeholder is carried along in the fight against crime, was a contributing factor.
He said their investigation revealed that the people were extremely pleased with the reduction of crime under his watch in the area, stressing that his effort to interface with everyone has boosted the cooperation between the police and the residents.
On his part, the recipient, CSP John Ladan thanked the group for the honour done him.
The DPO expressed his gratitude to God and the Commissioner of Police for the support given him to serve.
He urged the people to see the police as friends as their job is protection of lives and property.
As part of efforts towards enrolment into the National Health Fellows programm of the Federal Government, the Rivers State Government in partnership with the World Health Organisation, (WHO) and other development partners has started the process of interviews for the selection of health professionals to be enrolled into the programme.
The National Health Fellows Programme is an interventionist initiative by the Federal and State Governments following the declaration of a state-of-emergency on the health sector by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2023.
The initiative is aimed at reducing the physical and financial burdens on health-seeking Nigerians.
Briefing newsmen in Port Harcourt, the Acting Director, Research and Planning, Rivers State Ministry of Health, Dr Juliane Nwoke, who spoke on behalf of the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Adaeze Oreh said the programme is expected to enrol 774 persons representing each of the local government areas in the country.
In Rivers State, she said 23 persons are expected to emerge from the 69 shortlisted candidates, adding that already, nine persons have been interviewed, adding that the successful candidates would be engaged by the Federal Government for a period of one year to support the provision of healthcare services especially public health at both local, state and national levels.
She explained that core areas of competencies of shortlisted candidates includes public health, proficiency in Information and Communication Technology and data management.
“We have interviewed already, about nine candidates and by the end of today, we’ll be interviewing about 29 candidates.
“The interviews will end officially today for Rivers State because we are expected to interview 69 candidates.
“Specific competencies were considered in the selection process with interest on competencies in public health, ICT and data management, so we received the shortlist of candidates which we expect are based on these competencies.
“As you may know, there is a global and local shortage of manpower, so the 23 who qualifies in this round will add to the skilled manpower that is needed to drive healthcare delivery.
“As per impact, this fellows would be engaged directly by the Federal Government for a period of one year to support healthcare delivery and population health management at the local government, state and perhaps national levels, working directly from their LGAs,” she stated.
Dr. Nwoke assured shortlisted candidates of fairness in the screening process, maintaining that only the best will emerge at the end of the exercise.
John Bibor
The Nigeria Civil Service Union(NCSU) has described as unacceptable, callous, wicked and cruel the judgments and pronouncements of the Supreme Court last Friday, concerning Rivers State political crisis, saying they are nothing to write home about.
This is even as the union has said Nigeria is fast drifting to a Banana Republic, where the rule of law is not upheld but thrown overboard.
The union equally took to the cleaners the Justices, who gave the judgments and pronouncements, for allegedly mortgaging their consciences, and urged Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara not to obey the judgments until such a time that the case bordering on the defection of the 27 pro-Wike lawmakers, pending at the Court of Appeal is dispensed with.
The Rivers State Chairman of NCSU, Comrade Chukwuka Richman Osumah, who canvassed this position in an interview in Port Harcourt, particularly described the judgment ordering the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) and the Accountant General of the Federation not to release the Federal Allocations of Rivers State as not only callous and wicked but cruel and self-serving.
He said civil servants in the State in particular reject the judgements and pronouncements of the apex court in their totality, and enjoined them to rise up against all plots and machinations to unseat the Governor, as a demonstration of their love, support and solidarity for him, contending that folding their arms and watching the plots to succeed, would amount to giving the enemies of the State a free rein to overrun the State.
He said the workers firmly believe that those fighting Governor Fubara, are not only fighting him but the people of the State, and enjoined them to rally round the Governor, who he noted has put smiles on their faces within the short period he has been in office.
Osumah noted that the Supreme Court judgments and pronouncements are an attempt by enemies of the State to pull the hands of the clock backwards, considering the monumental achievements of the Fubara administration so far.
He said it is unfortunate that the Justices who handed down the judgments and pronouncements, have through their actions and inaction, desecrated the sacred temple of justice, and by so doing making the judiciary a laughing stock in the eyes of the world, instead of elevating it in such a way that it becomes the much-acclaimed last hope of the masses and the common people in the country.
He decried a situation where the country’s judiciary has rather degenerated to a level where the highest bidders have held it hostage, at the expense of the ordinary people, saying it is a strong indication that the country is fast drifting to a Banana Republic, where the rule of law is bastardised and thrown overboard.
According to him, the judgements and pronouncements portend grave danger for the State and the people, as they are a recipe for chaos, confusion and unabated crises.
Osumah further lamented a situation where the case bordering on the defection of the Martin Amaewhule-led lawmakers is relegated to the background while other contending issues are given undue preference and preeminence, saying the defection case is rather the kernel and pivot on which every other matters concerning the political crisis in the State gravitate.
The labour leader, therefore, stressed the need for the execution of the Supreme Court judgments and pronouncements to wait, pending the final determination of the defection suit, describing as hasty and preposterous the issuance of a 48-hour ultimatum to Governor Fubara by the 27 pro-Wike lawmakers, to present before them the 2025 Budget of the State.
Osumah equally reminded civil servants in the State that the time has come for them to boldly rise up and defend one of their own, and never allow the shenanigans of the old order to overwhelm and subject them once more to the throes and pangs of penury, poverty and needless suffering and hardship.
He recalled with glee that Governor Fubara has wiped away their tears, by not only providing a conducive environment for them to operate but also making sure that their welfare needs are given top priority, thereby restoring and providing all that the enemies of the State had denied them in the past.
While reiterating that the entire workforce in the State vehemently reject the judgments and pronouncements of the Supreme Court, Osumah said the apex court has through such judgements and pronouncements, declared war against the State and her people.