Jonathan Nwokpor
The Federal Government of Nigeria has been advised by the UN International Organisation for Migration, IOM, to give youths’ engagement in decision-making processes top priority in order to improve migration governance.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Abuja, Laurent De Boeck, the Chief of IOM Mission in Nigeria, made this claim.
QDuring her presentation on the IOM 2022–2024 Impact Assessment on Migration, Boeck noted that despite government efforts to address migration-related concerns, there is still a significant rate of both internal and foreign movement.
“We see statistically that there are still, unfortunately, young people who are suffering from migration abuse and end up in a very complex situation.
“They are stranded in another country and intercepted by police in those countries.
“Somehow mistreated or suddenly facing difficult issues, in terms of dignity and how to face their parents, siblings, and community, when they are forced to return not having succeeded.
“So, despite the fact we made progress with state and federal level support, priority on the youth must remain a priority to ensure they make informed choices going abroad.”
Boeck notes that the mission’s 2025 goals call for a higher priority on regular paths for addressing migration concerns through more critical engagement with governments, and that this may be achieved by providing regular channels for young people who wish to travel abroad.
“Going shouldn’t be the panacea and the only solution. We want to engage the private sector employer in the country toward improving conditions of work and availability of employment.
“To ensure employability, skills acquisition, and vocational training through private sector engagement like Cisco, so we can do it wherever people are.
“We are focused on Borno for the time being, on people who have been displaced, we can increase their capacity to value and make them reintegrate into the society in Nigeria.
“This is another priority that will remain and my departure as head of mission is just on an individual basis,” he added.
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