According to the Special Assistant to the Minister for Labour and Productivity, Mr. Emma Aziken, the project, which is being hosted by the Ministry of Labour on behalf of the Federal Government and has been scheduled to run for 24 months, also aims to boost the capacity of Nigerian agencies involved in the prosecution of traffickers.
The project, officially titled ”Enhancing the cooperation to fight trafficking in human beings from Nigeria to Europe,” is funded by the European Union for a cost of €1.01m (about N220m).
The Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, who inaugurated the EU- sponsored programme at the United Nations building in Abuja, commended the international collaboration: "This project will impact directly on the life of the ordinary Nigerians who are naturally hardworking but inadvertently might have fallen victim of traffickers and smugglers in persons" .
The inauguration was also attended by the Country and Anglophone West Africa Director of the ILO, Mrs. Sina Chuma-Mkandawire; the Head of the EU Political Officer and project focal point in Abuja, Mr. Claudi Ferrer; Resident Coordinator of the UN in Nigeria, Mr. Daouda Toure; Mr. Goder Yohannes of the ILO Special Action Programme to Combat Forced Labour and senior officials of the Ministry of Labour.
Chief Wogu added:”We welcome this collaboration with the ILO and it is a testimony to the respect and dignity that the Nigerian government under the able leadership of President Goodluck Jonathan is now held by the international community. It is, therefore, the resolve of my ministry not to leave any stone unturned in seeking an end to this inhuman, dangerous and exploitative trade,” the minister said as he charged Nigerians not to succumb to the entreaties of the traffickers.
According to Chief Wogu, the lingering job crisis makes the project timely: “It is pertinent to mention that this project has come at the appropriate time. A time when the effects of the global economic crisis are still strong and developing countries, like ours, are wrestling with its accompanying job crisis.”
The project involves the Federal Government, the European Union and the International Labour Organization. The objective is to progressively reduce human trafficking through better cooperation between Nigeria and Italy in the prosecution of traffickers, protection and re-integration of victims, as well as prevention of trafficking through awareness creation.
It will be implemented by the ILO and the Counter Trafficking Commission of the Italian Department for Equal Opportunities. The institutional and implementing partners of the project are: the Federal Ministries of Labour and Productivity, Foreign Affairs, Women Affairs, Education, “Justice, and Youth and Social Welfare, as well as the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, Nigerian Police, Immigration, Customs, employers’ and workers’ organisations, and relevant NGOs. The project will coordinate with sub-regional initiatives through the good offices of ECOWAS.
Information from:
“EU Funds N220m Project Against Trafficking Of Nigerians”, by Moses John, Abuja, Leadership Nigeria
“FG, ILO begin campaign against forced labour”, by Chinyere Fred-Adegbulugbe, Punch on the web
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