FG partners IOM to curb irregular youth migration

January 24, 2024

The Federal Government (FG) has disclosed plans to partner with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to curb the irregular migration of youths in Nigeria.

The Minister of Youth Development, Dr. Jamila Bio-Ibrahim, made the disclosure when a team from IOM paid her a courtesy in Abuja.

According to her, some areas of partnership will include youth sensitisation and advocacy on the dangers of irregular migration and the advantages of regular migration.

She also mulled the possibility of partnering with the organisation in rehabilitating the Ministry’s 42 youth development centres with the view to converting them into centres of excellence.

On the issue of youth policy review, she stated that the Ministry will require IOM’s support in reviewing its national youth policy, which is due in 2024.

“It will be important for the Director General of IOM to be on board with the Ministry as a partner to support the policy review process because of his wealth of experience and knowledge, which will help guide the committee through the process”, she said

Earlier, the team lead and Director General of IOM, De-Boeck Laurent, said the essence of his visit was to affirm their readiness to collaborate with the Ministry in promoting humane and orderly migrations among the youth as a leading organisation within the United Nations system.

Mr Laurent informed the house that they are working with the private sector on job creation, targeting a specific zone like Maiduguri in Borno State because of the concern for the youths in that region.

“We are offering the youth some skills so that they can contribute to the development of the construction of the region.” He said

He further said that his organisation had entered into an agreement with the University of Maiduguri and Modibo University in Borno and Adamawa to enable the youths to access formal education.

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