1000 migrants, returnees in Edo get empowerment

ActionAid Nigeria said it has empowered 1000 migrants and returnees in the first phase of its rehabilitation and reintegration project in Edo State

Actionaid Programme Coordinator, Migration II, Edo State, Chioma Judith Eze, disclosed this during a capacity building it organised for some selected Ministry, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) on migrants and returnees handlings in the state.

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“We have empowered 1000 youths in the first phase of the project. 750 of them are potential migrants while 250 are returnees from Libya.

“In the second phase, we are also targeting 1000 youths for empowerment,” she said.

She said ActionAid Nigeria is also providing psycho social support service to migrants that helps to take care of their mental health.

According to her, the training would address chronic institutional gaps identified among the MDAs who have direct mandate in responding to migration issues in the state

“So, we hope that through this workshop, we are able to strengthen and reinforce participants’ capacity in terms of knowledge, skills and competency in responding to migration issues as regards rehabilitation and reintegration of returned migrants.

“The training would also enhance community engagement, understand community issues and needs, and to be able to address them in an extensive manner.”

She said the 69 participants were drawn from the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic In Persons (NAPTIP), Edo State Taskforce Against Human Trafficking, Directorate of Employment, Ministry of Youth and Special Duties, Ministry of Social Welfare and Gender, Ministry of Wealth Creation, Employment and Cooperatives and International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

Daily Trust reports that Actionaid Nigeria is implementing a three-year migration project, titled “death to hope project” in Edo State, funded by Italian Agency For Development Cooperation.

Also speaking, the facilitator, Eucharia Anekwe, Executive Director, Social Development Centre, said the workshop would equip participants on how to handle returnees and migration.