The Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty, Oba Ewuare II, has called for more collaboration to strengthen the fight against human trafficking in the country.
The monarch made the call on Saturday when he received the President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, Laura Boldrini; the Italian ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Fulvio Rustico; the state Governor, Godwin Obaseki, and his entourage at his palace in Benin.
Oba Ewuare, who was a former ambassador to Italy, recalled how he had facilitated a Memorandum of Understanding between the Federal Government and its Italian counterpart to check the menace through the operations of security agencies of the two countries at major airports.
He expressed concern that trafficking in persons had become a global problem which required greater efforts locally and internationally.
The Oba, however, commended the state government for promoting initiatives aimed at providing technical skills for unemployed youths in order to make them economically self-reliant.
While describing the support showed by the Italian government as laudable, he urged its representatives to take advantage of the economic potential in Edo by investing in the proposed establishment of an export-free zone in Gelegele.
Earlier, Boldrini stressed the need for government agencies to embark on effective awareness campaigns to discourage young girls from embracing illegal migration.
She added that victims of human trafficking needed vocational training to enable them to secure lawful jobs.
On his part, Obaseki said the state government had finalised plans for the reconstruction of the Benin Technical College.
He explained that bids for the award of contract to reconstruct and retool the school would begin on Monday (today).
“We are clear on what to do; we are ready to take up the challenge to tackle the problems head-on. My first assignment as the Governor of Edo State was to visit the Benin Technical College to inspect the school.
“I am happy to inform you that by Monday (today), we will open the bid to award the contract to build the school,” Obaseki said.
He also disclosed that by 2019, the school would have 5,000 students, most of whom would be females due to government’s commitment to the empowerment of women and the girl-child.
Obaseki, therefore, urged Boldrini to encourage Nigerians in Italy to return home and contribute to the development of the state.
(Punch)
