By Gloria Osemudiamhen
The Coordinator, Office of the First Lady, Mrs. Edesili Okpebholo Anani has lauded the dedication of the Immigration Officers’ Wives Association (IMMOWA) towards providing support and assistance to vulnerable members of the society.
Mrs. Anani gave the commendation when she played host to IMMOWA, which paid a courtesy visit on the Office of the First Lady at the Government House in Benin City. While praising the Association’s dedication to charitable services, she sued for sustainability of the initiative and pledged increased support from the State Government to the Association.
She stressed the importance of educating children on the dangers associated with irregular migration and solicited the Association’s collaboration with her office on tackling the menace. According to her, “I have always maintained that migration is a fundamental right for everyone. However, it is crucial that your Association educates people on how to migrate legally, particularly in our region.
“We are training our children on skills, called skills for migration, so that when they leave the shores of Nigeria, they are ambassadors wherever they find themselves legally, not as nuisance”.
The Association’s Chairperson, Mrs. Josephine Monyei congratulated Mrs. Anani on her outstanding achievements and highlighted their commitments to women’s and children’s welfare. She outlined the Association’s objectives to include promoting members’ welfare, fostering a sense of belonging, and contributing to the development of Edo State women and Nigeria in general.
“Our primary aim is to promote the welfare and well-being of our members by providing them with opportunities for personal and professional growth. We strive to foster a sense of belonging amongst our members. We also engage in charitable and humanitarian activities, providing support and assistance to vulnerable members of our society. We are aware of the critical role our husbands play in safeguarding our nation’s borders, migration management, and combating the surge of trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants,” Mrs. Monyei concluded.
