The Journalists International Forum for Migration (JIFORM), on Wednesday congratulated the 16th President of Nigeria, Sen. Bola Tinubu, urging him to create a ministry of diaspora and migration engagements.
This is contained in a statement issued by the President of JIFORM, Dr Ajibola Abayomi, in Abuja.
Abayomi pleaded with Tinubu to ensure proper decent job negotiation for Nigerians across the globe in order to reduce the incidences of irregular migration and human trafficking.
He said the more than 300 journalists covering migration matters across the continents buttressed the appeal for the creation of the ministry.
He added that the creation of the ministry was long overdue, given the gains from human capital migration to the nation’s economy.
He recalled that the Central Bank of Nigeria in April acknowledged that from 2015 till date (in the last eight years), Nigerians in diaspora have remitted over US$ 16 billion to the country.
Abayomi said that this development had sustained Nigeria’s ranking as the highest earner in the entire Sub-Sahara Africa.
He said: “we greet President Bola Tinubu as he ushers Nigeria into a new era. With his excellent track records as an achiever, there is no doubt that he would improve the wellbeing of the nation, by tapping from the rare human resources that abound in the diaspora.
Mr President, he said, should please create a ministry of diaspora as one of his priorities.
“This is not a duplication of the duties of the Foreign Affairs ministry, but a necessary attention to boost migration and human capital development.
“We beg you not to close your eyes to the pains Nigerians are subjected to across the world in the name of labour migration.
“Kindly jettison the repeated theories or undue lamentations of the book makers and be bold to initiate a job negotiation with the employers of labour in the Middle East, Europe and other places.
“This will help discourage human trafficking and irregular migration from Nigeria. Do this for history to continue to be kind to you, sir,’’ he said.
Abayomi pledged “We are proudly available to work with you whether through appointments, selections or otherwise in order to reshape the nation’s diaspora policies.
“You can count on us to tame the daunting challenges ahead. Certainly, Nigeria shall overcome.
“We are available at your service to earn this great country an enviable status among the comity of nations on migration matters,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that apart from initiating a series of capacity building initiatives on migration issues in West Africa and the annual African Migration Summit, the fourth JIFORM Global Migration Summit would hold in Toronto, Canada, between Oct. 2 to 14.
In November 2022, the JIFORM organised the intercontinental migration summit in partnership with the City University, New York City, in Brooklyn; and a national migration summit on Feb. 9, this year, in Lagos.
“JIFORM recently facilitated a workshop supported by the Nigerian-German Centre for Job, Migration and Reintergration (NGC) for Nigerian journalists on sensitisation strategies against irregular migration in Abuja from May 22 to 23. (NAN)
