MEPN advocates fight against irregular migration

ALMOST on a daily basis, the media feature reports about the inhuman treatment of sub-Saharan African migrants in Libya, Morocco and Tunisia.

Videos, with gory pictures that send goosebumps all over one’s skin, showing the torture of African migrants in Libya are regularly circulated on social media.

The Cable News Network (CNN) broadcast footage in October 2017 showing Africans being auctioned as slave labourers in Libya, sparking a global outrage and public protests in many African countries.

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This year, more than 2,000 migrants have drowned in the Mediterranean, according to the the United Nations International Organization for Migration (IOM). And some experts claim that about half of those trying to cross the Sahara Desert die on the way.

It was the concern about the alarming human costs of irregular migration that gave birth to the Migration Enlightenment Project Nigeria (MEPN) in 2017.

The project, initiated by Kenneth Gbandi and Femi Awoniyi, both Nigerian journalists based in Germany, has been waging a media campaign since last year to raise awareness of the risks and dangers of irregular migration.

The MEPN, while providing information on legal ways to migrate, aims at sensitizing society to the problems of irregular migration and the enormous costs that families and the nation pay.

Gbandi, who is also the chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation Europe (NIDOE) said: “Behind the figures of drowning in the Mediterranean and agonizing deaths from dehydration, exhaustion and violence in transit are personal stories of tragedy and sorrowful ordeals for parents, spouses, siblings, children and families left behind.

“We would be poorer for it in spirit and humanity if we looked on and did nothing and allowed the situation to endure.”

The MEPN encourages would-be migrants to seek legal ways to realise their ambition and ensure that the journey is properly planned. “Don’t travel out without knowing what awaits you in the destination country.”

Speaking at a stakeholders roundtable on migration organised by the MEPN, in Abuja recently, where educationists, journalists, students, youth groups and religious leaders were in attendance to deliberate on issues deriving from irregular migration, Awoniyi, said that it is even in the national interest for societies to work together to curb irregular migration as it damages the national reputation. Because of thousands of Nigerian irregular migrants stranded in Europe, other Nigerians wishing to travel to Europe for legitimate reasons are denied visa,” he added.

Awoniyi, who is also the MEPN co-director and publisher of The African Courier Magazine, added that those regularly denied visa are artistes booked to perform in Europe, saying “this results in loss of earnings and the opportunity to establish a reputation abroad that would enable them to regularly earn money through international outings in future.

“Some business people who would like to pursue partnerships abroad to grow their businesses are denied visa also. They lose such opportunities. Some scholars are denied visa to participate at conferences or courses as well. This invariably affects the progress of their academic career.

“Irregular migration also gives us a bad image internationally thereby discouraging foreign investment in our economy, which we direly need to create jobs and expand our tax revenue base.”

The MEPN, which is supported in its campaign by Germany’s Federal Foreign Office, advises young people not to overlook positive alternatives to migration.