By Gloria Osemudiamhen
Towards enhancing humane and orderly migration, and to protect vulnerable individuals, the Edo State Government, under the administration of Sen. Monday Okpebholo, in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) aims to build and solidify structures that facilitate pathways for regular migration, amongst other initiatives.
In a meeting with relevant stakeholders, themed “Managing Migration through Development (MMDP) 2.0,” held at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Benin City, the Coordinator, Office of the First Lady, Mrs. Edesili Okpebholo Anani, represented by the wife of the Secretary to the State Government, Hajia Umar Ikhilor, commended IOM for initiatives which are aimed at promoting regular migration and enhancing lives.
According to her, “I can clearly see the commitment and passion, and it brings me joy. On behalf of the Coordinator of the Office of the First Lady of Edo State, I want to thank everyone for their time. This meeting has highlighted the importance of this work, and it is evident that everyone has put in their best efforts. I commend you all and hope you will sustain these efforts. I would also like to commend the agencies, non-governmental organizations, and bodies present here today.”
Mrs. Anani advocated for continued partnership, highlighting its significance. She stated, “I urge IOM to continue this commendable work, relentlessly supporting the advancement of humanity. I hope and believe that their investment in this project will yield lasting benefits, and we will remain accountable for the support provided. This collaboration has renewed our hope that migrants and potential migrants will receive the community and support they need. I commend the Federal Migrants Agency for their efforts, and we are grateful for the outcomes of our collaboration since 2022. We look forward to more collaborations and human developmental projects moving forward, and we pray that this won’t be limited to just 2.0.”
The Special Adviser to the Governor on International Development Partners, Hon. Collins Edomaruse, acknowledged IOM’s initiatives geared towards enhancing lives. According to him, “We recognize the support extended to three additional shelters, the installation of solar-powered boreholes across five communities in our basement, and the meaningful support given to individuals on the innovation. To the IOM, the commitment to humane and orderly migration programmes is commendable. We thank the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for investing in the IOM’s movement, a gesture of true global citizenship.
“We also recognize the members of FUT’s shared community, who have provided thoughtful guidelines and ensured successful implementation of these programmes with integrity and accountability. Let me also recognize our state and non-state actors, the players involved in the programme, case workers, shelter staff, community leaders, and rehabilitation experts.
“Through this project, we are reminded that migration, when managed through the lens of development, it can be a catalyst for positive transformation. Let me also, on behalf of the Governor, express our gratitude to the government for all state partners that will continue to be on this strong foundation that has been created. Let us also maintain collaboration, strengthen tie and foster collective ownership.”
The IOM Benin Office Head, Mr. Arshad Khan, acknowledged contributions from various stakeholders in their developmental projects and highlighted the Organization’s mission and scope in Nigeria. According to him, “IOM, with the name International Organization for Migration, we are a United Nations-related agency, with our presence for more than 20 years now in Nigeria, with our Country Office in Abuja, and our presence all the way from North; in Borno State, in Maiduguri, Adamawa, Yola, Kano, Benue, Lagos, and here in Benin. Our interventions in the North, as we all know, are very much related to responding to the crisis of the situation in the Northeast.
“IOM, together with other humanitarian partners, is responding to the critical humanitarian needs of millions of those who had to leave their areas after getting severely damaged by those devastating floods.”
Mr. Khan noted that approximately 46,000 Nigerians have returned with assistance from IOM and other organizations, mostly from IOM, since 2017, and solicited collaboration to address the root causes of irregular migration. In his words, “How we can respond better is not just by bringing back these Nigerians from Libya or Tunisia and settling them here, just rehabilitating them. To me, that is not the right way or an effective way to respond to this crisis or emergency. We need to address the root cause of this situation.
“And one of the interventions, to me, for addressing the root cause is that we need to work more on creating the awareness about migration, about orderly and humanely migration, and about individual migration. If we are not doing that, we may not be able to control this situation. People are still taking all those illegal ways and means to travel to migrate outside Nigeria.”
The Director General, Edo State Migration Agency, Chief Lucky Agazuma stated, “This collaboration today is a milestone on the migration Agency and also on behalf of the State Government, I want to thank IOM, the foreign Stakeholders, the Christian Association, Muslem Community, returnees, NGOs, CSOs and other stakeholders present here today. The MMDP 2 started before my appointment and am happy today am seeing the closure of MMDP 2. I’m hoping for MMDP 3; I believe with this strategic collaboration we will be able to plan further for MMD 3.”
The meeting ended with a highlight of the organization’s success story and testimonials from some beneficiaries of the initiatives.
