Edu Seeks Collaboration With Interior Ministry To Combat Human Trafficking, Illegal Migration
By Edem ITA
Nigeria's Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu has advocated for closer working ties with the Ministry of Interior in order to guarantee optimum results in the battle against Human Trafficking and illegal migration.
Dr Edu averred that such collaboration has become imperative to build a formidable front needed to subdue the hydra headed monster of human trafficking, modern day slavery and illegal migration which she noted contribute in escalating the humanitarian challenge confronting and insecurity.
Dr Edu who stated this during her official visit to the Minister for Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo emphasised that "Such collaboration between the two Ministries, according to Dr. Edu, has become inevitable, given the determination of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to address the humanitarian crisis in the country with a view efforts to delisting Nigerians from the global poverty index.
While commending the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, for exploring his wealth of experience to bear on the Ministry in a bid to achieve set targets.
"We are here for serious business and for us to succeed, the President has said we must team up and there must be inter-sectoral and ministerial collaboration to achieve success.
"My new responsibilities focus on covering a greater population of vulnerable Nigerians, providing them with humanitarian services and alleviating their poverty in line with President Tinubu's agenda.
"The President is committed to seeing that Nigerians smile again, and reduce the number of people living below the poverty line to the nearest minimum." she said.
"The President is committed to seeing that he reduces the number of persons who are exposed or prone to humanitarian crisis, I am saying this because a lot of our work depends on how well you do your work in the Ministry of Interior.
"We need your support and we need it at all levels. The heads of security agencies here at this meeting will help to work with our team to gather intelligence on how people are moving in and out of our country.
"There are issues of human trafficking, child labour, and sexual exploitation, amongst other things which lead to humanitarian crises, We cannot continue to allow this trend to go unattended, It's not acceptable.
"We need your support. We need intelligence from you. We just got the approval for officers from NAPTIP to be present at the different ports.
"We need you to know the importance of our collaboration with you on the border. We have to find ways to step up our intelligence in Nigeria, we have too many illegal borders."
On social intervention, the Minister said the expansion of the social register will be extended to the next servicemen and widows of paramilitary organizations whose husbands have died in the cause of active service, adding that inmates of the Nigeria Correctional Services will also be captured to enable them benefit from the skill acquisition programme of her Ministry.
Responding, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo applauded Dr Edu for her zeal and commitment demonstrated towards the attainment of the Renewed Hope agenda through effective collaboration with relevant MDAs.
He hinted that the inter ministerial Committee headed by the two permanent secretaries in the two Ministries have been mandated to work out modalities that will strengthen the focus of their agenda.
He noted with delight the plan by the Humanitarian Minister to enlist inmates from Correctional Facilities for vocational training describing the initiative as a heartwarming and welcome development
