21st December, 2022
By Jethro Ibileke
The European Union has commended Edo state government over its fight and tackling of human trafficking, describing the state’s success in the eradication of the vice as a model worth emulating.
EU’s head of delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ambassador Samuela Isopi, who stated this on Tuesday in Benin, noted that the state has ceased to be a trafficking hub.
Isopi was led on a tour of facilities set up by the State government to tackle human trafficking and gender-based violence by wife of the State Governor, Betsy Obaseki.
Among facilities inspected was the Daisy Danjuma Welcome Centre, built by the state government, which also houses the temporal structure of the Edo State Sexual Assault Referral Centre.
The EU Ambassador congratulated the State Governor, Godwin Obaseki and the First Lady, for their strong commitment to fighting human trafficking.
This is even as she expressed EU’s commitment to a continued partnership with Edo State government and the Nigerian Governors’ Wives Forum in tackling gender-based violence.
According to her, “Edo State has set the pace, it has come from being a trafficking hub to be a model in the way this issue is being tackled and we hope that others follow their example,” she said.
“A few days ago we were together to mark the 16 days of activism for this year, and we are also very pleased to partner with the Nigerian Governors’ Wives Forum, towards eradicating gender-based violence.”