Lifestyle

Togo Set to Host, Support JIFORM West African Media Workshop in June

By Web News 787

The Government of the Republic of Togo has expressed readiness to support the West African Media Workshop for journalists in the region being facilitated by the Journalists International Forum For Migration (JIFORM) slated for June 21-24, in Lome, the capital of the nation.

Minister of Communication and Media and the Spokesman of the Government of Togo, Professor Akoda Ayewouadan conveyed the position of the government recently during a meeting with the President of Organisation pour l’ Integration Africaine (OIA), Dr Azuma Ijoma in Lome, who represented the JIFORM President, Ajibola Abayomi.

The workshop is being organized by the JIFORM, a global media foundation with over 300 journalists across the continents with headquarters in Lagos, Nigeria in partnership with the OIA, Togo.

According to the minister, the Government was very excited about the workshop which would further enhance the capacity of the media practitioners and contribute to the development in the country.

He said having received the details of the proposal for the event, he would brief the presidency, giving an assurance of the government’s support towards ensuring that the programme was successful.

Responding, the OIA President, Dr Ijoma thanked the government for the assurance and said all the machinery needed to make the workshop to be coordinated in both French and English languages had been set in place.

It would be recalled that the JIFORM President, Ajibola Abayomi had earlier visited Togo to consult with both the government and other stakeholders on the need to back the summit.

Oluwakayode Banjo

Economy

2021 Fiscal Year: Oyetola Presents 109.8 Billion Naira Budget

By Web News 705

Osun State Governor, Mr Gboyega Oyetola, has presented 109.8 billion Naira budget to the State House of Assembly for the 2021 fiscal year.

Presenting the budget tagged, “Budget of Providence”, M.r Oyetola said the budget was dedicated to post COVID-19 pandemic recovery.

He harped on the need to boost Internally Generated Revenue, IGR of the state.

The Speaker, Mr Timothy Owoeye had earlier commended the executive for making the 2020 budget lived up to expectations even in the face of the novel Coronavirus pandemic.

The Budget estimates of 109.8 Billion Naira has as Capital expenditure of 59.2 Billion Naira while 50.6 Billion Naira was earmarked for Recurrent expenditure.

Education and Health sector is to take the larger percentage of the the budget which is 18.08% and 17.98% respectively.

Governor Oyetola explained that the budget would be funded by Federal allocation which will make up  45.75% of the budget, 24.26% from Internally Generated Revenue, 22.88% from Aids and Grants of as well as 7.11% from Other Capital Receipt.

The Governor who noted that bulk of government revenue for the year 2020 came form Federal Allocation highlighted the need to boost Internally Generated Revenue of the State.

Earlier, the Speaker of the Assembly, Mr. Timothy Owoeye had commended the executive for making the 2020 budget lived up to expectations even in the face of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The Speaker urged the executive to increase ease of doing business and remove bottlenecks that could scare investors away from the State.

Mr. Owoeye said the State House of Assembly would continue to embark on effective oversights to ensure timely completion of government projects in the State.

Also Speaking, the Chairman, House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Mr. Taiwo Olodo assured that the budget would be given speedy consideration and passage.

It will be recalled that Osun State Appropriation Amendment Bill 2020, the state budget was reviewed downward from 119.5 billion naira to 82.2 billion naira.

Funmi Adekoya

Lifestyle

JIFORM, FRCN To Collaborate On Tackling Illegal Migration

By Web News 752

Issues relating to problems associated with migration and its benefits were the focal point when Journalists International Forum for Migration, JIFORM, paid courtesy a visit to the management of Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN, Ibadan Zonal Station.

Setting the ball rolling, JIFORM President, Mr. Abayomi Ajibola expressed worry that a large percentage of Africans including Nigerians were in irregular status in foreign lands.

The JIFORM president while explaining that many Nigerians were stranded across the world said the need to agitate for the needs of citizens’ necessitated the establishment of JIFORM.

Mr. Ajibola noted that the second summit of the organization scheduled to hold in Ibadan on the fifteenth of October, 2020 was to address all problems associated with migration.

He explained that the forum was willing to project advantages of migration on national economy, stating that migration had a lot of advantages.

Mr. Ajibola while describing as unwholesome, the attitude of many Nigerian citizens who were hell bent in leaving the country without putting into consideration hazards of irregular migration, sought the support of Radio Nigeria on awareness campaign on benefits of legitimate migration. 

In a comment, Deputy Director News and Current Affairs, FRCN Ibadan, Reverend Olusegun Ayankoso urged JIFORM to ensure that topics to be discussed at the summit were all encompassing, and should positively affect the narratives on migration matters. 

Responding, Zonal Director, FRCN, Ibadan Zonal Station, Alhaji Muhammad Bello while assuring JIFORM of FRCN’s support admitted that a lot needed to be done to discourage Nigerians especially the youths who were trying to leave the country at all cost. 

Both parties expressed worry on the prevalence of brain drain in the country.

Other issues discussed included factors responsible for the indiscriminate search of greener pasture among the youths, challenges being faced by Nigerians in the Diaspora and the benefits of migration.

Adedayo Adelowo

Economy

Journalists Forum Cries out for Stranded Nigerians in Saudi Arabia

By Web News 952

Days after the Journalists International Forum for Migration (JIFORM) raised the alarm over the critical situation of some trafficked 30 Nigerian ladies stranded in Lebanon, the body has again uncovered another set of Nigerians in hundreds allegedly battling with similar fate in Saudi Arabia.

JIFORM President, Ajibola Abayomi, in statement made available to the media on Sunday said the body had profile of 138 ladies allegedly trafficked to the Arabian nation by a company identified as TTCO.

Some of the names on list included 23 years old Amina Idris an indigene of Kano whose passport is being withheld by her host, Atanda Easter Idowu, 42 with passport number A09118374; Salawu Yetunde Victoria, 37, with passport number A08233422 both from Oyo State and Gift Israel Johnnu, 25, with passport number A09136678 from Rivers State. 

He said the revelation was unraveled in the data made available to JIFORM by the Rescue Africans In Slavery (RAIS), a foundation advocating against human trafficking and child labour.

“We commend the spirited effort of Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State for picking the bills of 55 victims out of 120 list of trafficked ladies in Lebanon recently released by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM). 

“Since we launched rescue campaign that led to the rescue of the 30 girls and others in Lebanon by the Nigerian government, several international agencies had been reaching out to us and we have been directing them to relate with the National Agency for Trafficking In Persons (NAPTIP) accordingly. JIFORM is committed to humanitarian service and we are willing to do more” Ajibola stated.

Calling for another prompt attention from the Federal Government, the JIFORM President said some of the ladies at different locations in the country were in critical health condition and needed to be attended to in good time.

Also worried by the situation, the Executive Director of RAIS, Ms Omotola Fawunmi said although the temporal arrangement had been made to give the ladies first aid treatment in Saudi Arabia, however pleaded for action to save the lives of the  victims of human trafficking.

One of the victims who spoke under anonymity, an English and Social Studies graduate from Adeniran Ogunsanya Colleague of Education, Lagos state while appealing for help said all efforts to get the attention of the Nigerian ambassador in Saudi Arabia had proved abortive as non- English speaking staff placed as front desk officers refused to give them attention. 

The 26 years old lady who said she was on salary equivalent of N70, 000 per month lamented that she was fed up with hash treatments being meted to her by her host. 

The Ogun state indigene said she applied as a teacher through her agents over two years ago only to be given out as house maid when she arrived at the country.

Adedayo Adelowo

Crime

Journalists Forum Asks NAPTIP to Review Anti-Human Trafficking Strategies

By Web News 712

The Journalists International Forum for Migration (JIFORM) Headquarters in Lagos with over 200 journalists focusing on migration across the continents has called on the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking In Persons (NAPTIP) to lead a review of anti-human trafficking strategies in Nigeria.

The Forum insisted that human traffickers and their agents soiling the image of the nation must be prosecuted.

After its initial outcry, JIFORM said while it appreciated the speedy rescue of the 30 stranded Nigerian ladies trafficked to Lebanon enlisted to join another 120 through the efforts of the Nigerian foreign mission fast tracked by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), the embassy of Nigeria in Lebanon and the tacit support of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), however posited that”it is not yet Uhuru on war against human trafficking in Nigeria.” 

Ajibola Abayomi, the President of JIFORM in a statement issued on Wednesday said although the NAPTIP had put up superlative performance by securing close to 400 convictions and thousands of arrests in last 14 years of its establishment.

He noted that given the  reports concerning the numbers of trafficked Nigerians abroad, a change of strategy, review of structure and improved inter-agencies collaboration to achieving better results were needed

“Recently the NAPTIP confirmed one of our findings that there are over 5,000 Nigerian ladies trafficked to Lebanon alone, in Saudi Arabia they are over 2000, Dubai and Oman, we have over 4, 000 while at our backyard in Africa with series of undocumented migrants there are over 20,000 each in Mali and Libya Nigerian ladies that had been respectively trafficked, just to mention a few.

“While we are not heaping all the blames on NAPTIP, it is obvious that its internal mechanisms geared towards preventive measures and accelerated rescue operations must be strengthened. As the rescued ladies would be handed over to NAPTIP after arrival in Nigeria, our worries are what become of them in terms of sincere medical assistance and reintegration on the part of the authorities in Nigeria.

The JIFORM President noted that: “Foreign missions in Nigeria like the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) and the European Union (EU) are rendering support they can. In July, the IOM facilitated the return of 109 Nigerian migrants from Mali with the support of the DFID and the EU through its Regional Direct Assistance Fund. But for how long will they shoulder our responsibility as a nation? 

“We are equally bothered that a recent assessment by IOM revealed that 96 per cent of 105 Nigerian returnees consulted in Edo and Delta states were worse-off financially while the United Nation’s agency had also between April and July 2020,  ensured that 839 returnees across various projects have received reintegration counseling including socio-economic assistance from in Nigeria.

“It is on record that since 2017, 629 Nigerians, mostly women between the ages of 18 and 25, have returned voluntarily from Mali with support from DFID and the EU through the EU-IOM Joint Initiative for Migrant protection and reintegration, therefore, the Nigerian government must copy this good examples while the need to enlarge empowerment for her citizens to stem irregular migration is now a reality.”

Ajibola said the war against human trafficking denting the nation’s image must be fought from all fonts with required zeal.

“JIFORM recommends that the Federal Government through the Executive arm of government approve recruitment of more hands to strengthen NAPTIP, amend relevant laws to allow the agency has its own official uniform and arm unit with the required funding”

Adedayo Adelowo

Crime

Human Trafficking: Stranded Nigerian Ladies in Lebanon Cry for Help

By Web News 829

Thirty Nigerian ladies trafficked to Lebanon now stranded in the country have appealed to the Nigerian authorities to come to their rescue as videos of their predicament hit the social media.

The Journalists International Forum for Migration (JIFORM), through its President, Ajibola Abayomi, relayed the message after exclusive encounter with victims through a statement on Friday and called for speedy rescue action from the government.

Mr Abayomi said beyond lamentations, JIFORM had forwarded details of the human trafficking agents involved in the matter to the relevant agencies and shall diligently monitor it to the logical conclusion to ensure proper investigation and prosecution of all those involved.

The ladies all camped in one room with faulty toilet and other utilities are presently housed in a building at city of Dawra in Lebanon.

Narrating their ordeals, one of the victims who spoke on behalf of others, Miss Adebisi Oluwatoyin with passport number A10597908, said they had to escape from inhumane treatment being meted on them by their mistresses and assembled at their present location.

The 23 years old lady hails from Ondo State, graduated from the Edo State Polytechnic, Ekpomma and was a resident in Osun state before departing Nigeria in December 2019.

“We are dying here and we need urgent rescue attention from our Nigerian government. We are appealing to Honourable Abike-Dabiri Erewa, Pastor Enoch Adeboye of Redeemed Church, Prophet Genesis of Celestial Church, Apostle Suleiman, Prohet T.B. Joshua and other men of God for prayers and help.

“Help us plead with the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and others to save us. The Nigerian embassy in Lebanon have tried but we want to go back home.

“Our stories are pathetic and regrettable. We were told by agents before we left Nigeria that we are going to be paid between N250,000 and N30O,0000 a month as teachers and house maids but getting here we were subjected to sexual labour and other terrible jobs.

“Our belongings and international passports were seized with no payments for the service we have been rendering for months. They loosen and cut our hairs with razor blade.

“Every day, we are being beating with constant harassments from the Lebanese police. Our employers cooked all sorts of stories against us by lying that we stole their gold, killed their children and manhandled their aged ones without any evidence. The police and their immigration are always on their side. We are not getting justice and our lives are in danger.

“At the moment many of us are sick and down with ulcer, tuberculosis and other illness and the hospitals here are not attending to us because we have no document to prove our status. We are dying. It is really a crime to be a black in this world. We want to go back home and shall be contented with whatever rehabilitation scheme government can give us” Adebisi lamented.

Speaking from the United States of America, the Executive Director/Co-Founder of Rescue Africans in Slavery Organisation (RAIS), Ms Omotola Fawunmi that has been responsible for the upkeeps of the ladies pleaded with the government and other agencies to join the rescue mission.

Pr/Adedayo Adelowo