Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has commended the African Union (AU) for recognising the peculiar travails of immigrants, returnees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) across the continent, noting that there was need to bring the issues to the front burner.
The governor said this in reaction to the declaration of 2019 as the Year of Immigrants, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) by the AU, in recognition of the difficulty faced by many fleeing conflict, disease and harsh socio-economic realities prevalent in a number of African countries.
In a statement, the governor hailed the AU for rising to the occasion to make a case for immigrants, returnees and IDPs, who are all victims of a myriad of development challenges bedeviling the African continent.
According to him, “I am very delighted that the African Union declared 2019 the year of immigrants, refugees and IDPs. This aligns with our very dogged fight to ensure we stem illegal migration and human trafficking in the state.”
He said that it was heartwarming that the continental body is throwing its weight behind such a pressing contemporary issue which a number of African countries are grappling with, calling for a more robust cross-border stakeholder engagement in tackling the issues that arise from the scourge of illegal migration and human trafficking.
Noting that the state government has recorded modest success in tackling the menace, he said the government will be ready to share notes with other African countries facing similar challenge.
“As a knowledge-driven government, we are very much ready to share our success stories with other countries facing similar challenge so that the issues can be tackled from all fronts and a sustainable, far-reaching solution reached.”
