The Federal Ministry of Youth Development has urged young people to embrace safe, orderly and regular migration, warning that irregular migration exposes them to exploitation, human trafficking, imprisonment and other life-threatening dangers.
The Head of the Department of Youth Migration and Climate Action Resilience at the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, Oyekan Adedoyin, gave the advice during opening of a two-day campaign and awareness creation programme on the effects of irregular migration among young people in Oyo State, held at the House of Chiefs’ Secretariat, Ibadan.
Adedoyin explained that the programme was organised to educate young people on the importance of obtaining reliable information and following appropriate legal procedures before embarking on international journeys.
He noted that although migration was a right, failure to follow the proper procedures could expose travellers to serious risks.
According to him, young people were particularly vulnerable to irregular migration because of their desire to travel and the possibility of making uninformed decisions in search of better opportunities.
He said the ministry had taken the campaign to several states, including Adamawa, Edo, Lagos, Ogun and Nasarawa, as well as the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Adedoyin expressed satisfaction with the reception accorded the programme in Oyo State, describing the initiative as timely, given the concerns surrounding the involvement of young people in irregular migration.
He emphasised the importance of collaboration among government agencies, youth organisations, parents, teachers, community leaders and religious institutions in spreading awareness and discouraging dangerous migration practices.
The ministry official urged participants to take the message to their respective communities, noting that traditional and religious leaders, parents and other community stakeholders could play critical roles in educating young people about safe migration.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Oyo State Agency for Youth Development, Prince Falana Adebowale, called on the government to expand employment opportunities, vocational training and skills acquisition programmes as part of efforts to curb irregular migration.
Adebowale advised young people intending to travel abroad to ensure that their travel documents were valid and that they complied with the immigration laws of their destination countries.
He warned that taking shortcuts in the pursuit of greener pastures could expose young people to human trafficking, exploitation and life-threatening situations.
According to him, government interventions must address the economic challenges pushing young people to seek opportunities abroad through unsafe channels.
He disclosed that the Oyo State Agency for Youth Development had adopted an approach that caters to the different needs of formal and informal youth groups.
He explained that young people in the formal sector were being introduced to information and communication technology (ICT) training, while those in the informal sector were encouraged to acquire vocational and practical skills.
Adebowale said the initiatives were designed to engage young people productively, improve their employability and enable them to earn a living without risking their lives through irregular migration.
Similarly, the Oyo State Chairman of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Comrade Eniola Alex, called for sustained sensitisation campaigns targeting youth organisations and grassroots communities.
Oluwatobi, who described the NYCN as the umbrella body for youth organisations and youth-focused non-governmental organisations in the state, urged the government to work with youth associations, market-based groups and community organisations to educate young people about the dangers of irregular migration.
He said some young people, driven by frustration and the desire for better living conditions, embarked on dangerous journeys only to encounter arrest, imprisonment, diseases and other difficulties in foreign countries.
He expressed concern that some Nigerians were languishing in foreign prisons without adequate support or advocacy.
Alex therefore called for increased investment in youth empowerment, vocational training and job creation, describing these measures as essential to reducing the pressure on young people to migrate irregularly.
He commended the Federal Ministry of Youth Development for organising the awareness campaign in Oyo State, stressing that coordinated efforts involving government institutions, youth organisations, families and community leaders were necessary to protect young people from migration-related dangers.
some of the participants said though the sensitization program is long overdue but it will still serve the purpose it is meant for because the event has further exposed them to the need to go through regular process when migratiing from one country to other
