Obaseki: Edo Promoting Youth Devt to Tackle Illegal Migration, Human Trafficking

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said his government is paying critical attention to building the capacity of youths in the state to equip them with the right tools and knowledge to compete globally.

The governor said this forms part of renewed efforts to combat illegal migration, human trafficking and all other forms of modern day slavery.

Obaseki said this in his message to commemorate the 2022 International Day for the abolition of slavery celebrated each year by the United Nations and its sister agencies.

The governor, who reeled  out the gains of his administration’s efforts at combating illegal migration and human trafficking in Edo State, said his government will continue to pursue reforms and programmes to end all forms of modern day slavery, including child or forced labour, human trafficking, forced marriage, sexual exploitation, illegal migration and illegal organ harvesting, among others.

Obasekei said: “The 2022 International Day for the Abolition of Slavery is another opportunity for global stakeholders to review efforts at ending slavery in every form and guise and strengthen collaborations towards rescuing and protecting the estimated 50 million people who today are in modern slavery, including 28 million in forced labour and 22 million in forced marriage.

“Efforts including strengthening and enforcing existing laws to protect persons from forced and child labour and combat human trafficking, improving strategies to combat illegal migration, ensuring better pay and welfare for the working population, promoting fair and ethical recruitment, and ensuring greater support for women, girls and vulnerable individuals must be sustained by global stakeholders if the vision of ending slavery in every form must be realised.”

“As a government, we have continued to pursue programmes and reforms to build the capacity of our people, especially our youth population, protecting and empowering them so as to discourage them from illegal migration and protect them from every form of modern day slavery, including human trafficking, forced labour, among others.”

He added: “In addition to the various programmes implemented by the state’s skills development agency, EdoJobs to create more jobs and equip youths in the state with in-demand skills to be globally competitive, we have also set up the Edo State Taskforce Against Human Trafficking; enacted the Edo State Trafficking in Persons Prohibition Law and set machinery in motion for top-of-the-range basic and technical education in the state, as part of revved up efforts to curb the trend of human trafficking.”

According to the United Nations, “The focus of this day is on eradicating contemporary forms of slavery, such as trafficking in persons, sexual exploitation, the worst forms of child labour, forced marriage, and the forced recruitment of children for use in armed conflict.

“Slavery has evolved and manifested itself in different ways throughout history. Today some traditional forms of slavery still persist in their earlier forms, while others have been transformed into new ones.”