Address irregular migration, diplomat tasks FG

The Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Germany, Regine Hess, has urged the Federal Government to address issues responsible for irregular migration by Nigerians.

Hess stated this while speaking to newsmen at a conference organised by the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja on Tuesday in Abuja.

The conference had the theme: “Action Against Irregular Migration of Nigerians.”

She noted that Nigeria needed to do more to address its socio-economic problems.

The deputy head said that many Nigerians appeared not to see a future in their country, adding that most people preferred to live in their country and among their people.

“The big question is why so many Nigerians want to leave the country? Is it not a very hospitable country? Do they not see a future here? That seems to be the case, that is the conclusion you have to draw. So, the Nigerian government should try to look into this.

“They should make sure the Nigerian youths find a future in their nation. Most people all over the world will like to live in the country where they come from. They like to live with their families and friends,” she said.

The diplomat advised the government to keep working hard and with the help from the international community and development cooperation, they would create an enabling environment for Nigerians to strive.

When asked if she believed the Nigerian Government was doing enough to address the problems, she said: “obviously not”.

“I mean look at the budget, how much is in the budget? How many Nigerians are populating the nation? How much money is available for public services in terms of education, building schools, building hospitals and creating jobs?”

“It does not fit the growth of the nation, it is too small to cope with the number of Nigerians coming into this world. Birth rate is far too big compared to the economic growth of this country. This is an enormous mismatch which has to be addressed,“ she explained.

Hess said her country alongside other European nations had been sensitising migrants on the dangers of irregular migration, stating that there were a lot of rumours and false information about life in Europe.

“Germany with others have started to sensitive them that travelling across the desert is far too dangerous. We welcome regular migration; irregular migration, we don’t welcome that much. If you are trying to find a job, come as a regular migrant,” she said.

In his goodwill message, the Archbishop of Jos and Co-adjutor of Abuja, Rev. Ignatius Kaigama, said Pope Francis was concerned by human trafficking which is a consequence of irregular migration.

“This is the situation many Nigerians face which is the topic of this conference. In this irregularity, the human dignity is not respected and trafficking in human beings which dents our Nigerian image abroad becomes rampant,” he said.

In her speech, the Director-General, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Mrs Julie Okah-Donli, argued that the mass migration of young Africans through the Mediterranean Sea and the deserts to Europe was a big setback to the realisation of the sustainable development goals.

She condemned the call to decriminalise prostitution as sex work and pimps as legitimate sex business operators, stressing that human trafficking was a threat to the state and human security of any nation.