The UN International Organization for Migration, IOM, has urged the Federal Government of Nigeria to prioritize youths’ interest in decision-making processes to advance migration governance.
Chief of IOM Mission in Nigeria, Laurent De Boeck, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Abuja.
Speaking on the IOM 2022-2024 Impact Assessment on Migration, Boeck said that high internal and external migration persists despite the government’s efforts to tackle migration-related issues.
“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.”
According to Boeck, the mission plans to prioritize regular pathways for tackling migration issues through more critical engagement with governments in 2025, stressing that such could be actualized by identifying regular pathways for the youth wanting to go 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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