Lawmakers pledge improved funding to tackle human trafficking

NAPTIP seeks rehabilitation package for victims
The House of Representatives has pledged an improved funding to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) to enhance the fight against human trafficking in the country.

Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Human Rights, Hon Edward Gyang Pwajok stated this during the budget defence by NAPTIP at the National Assembly.

The Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, had also pledged improved funding when he hosted the Director General of NAPTIP, Julie Okah-Donli.

Speaking after a presentation by the Director General of NAPTIP, Julie Okah-Donli who was represented by the Director, Finance and Account, Dr. Hassan Ndanusa, the lawmaker who was impressed with the prudent utilization of the resources allocated to the Agency in the previous year, pointed out that the current funding and fiscal allocation to the Agency was quite inadequate considering the huge task ahead of it.

Pwajok, who scored NAPTIP high in the areas of awareness creation, rescue and rehabilitation of victims of human trafficking and irregular migration as well as prosecution of traffickers, said NAPTIP as the Federal Government focal Agency for counter trafficking deserves full support of both the government and private sectors, hence the need for a balanced financial stand and adequate funding of its activities.

Similarly, the European Union Delegation to Nigeria has lauded the Agency for its roles in the on-going evacuation of stranded Nigerians in Libya and assured the Agency of EU assistance.

Meanwhile, Mrs Julie Okah-Donli, advocated a customized rehabilitation packages for victims of human trafficking and irregular migration across the world in other to tackle the phenomenon holistically and effectively.

She stated this while receiving a delegation from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Justice who visited her at the NAPTIP Headquarters.

The visit was a follow up to the bilateral talks on migration related issues and return held during the Nigerian government delegationís visit to Oslo in May 2017.

According to her, such package which will be developed with inputs from victims and focal counter trafficking institutions like NAPTIP in Nigeria, will be implemented in accordance with the agreed modalities in order to ensure that the victims are not re-trafficked while at the same time reduce the vulnerability of other segments of the society.

The NAPTIP Director General, who lauded the Norwegian government for its supports and assistance to NAPTIP through various interventions since the past years, observed that there was the need to review the scope and contents of some of the rehabilitation packages for the victims so as to be able to achieve the desired results.

It is critical at this point to review our rehabilitation packages and other assistance to victims of human trafficking and irregular migration in order to forestall any situation where they are re-trafficked.