The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) have asked the private sector to support returning migrants with seed funds and capacity development, to enable them settle into the economy.
They say doing these would reduce illegal migration and give hope to many migrants.
Speaking at the roundtable hosted by the LCCI themed ‘Private Sector Partnership on Sustainable Reintegration of Returning Nigerian Migrants’, Toki Mabogunje, president of the LCCI, commended the IOM for being at the forefront of providing valuable humanitarian assistance to the government in managing migration through capacity building, advisory services and technical assistance on migration matters.
“The migration trends in Nigeria show that most young individuals between the ages of 15 and 35 are exiting the country through irregular means to Europe and other destinations to leverage better economic opportunities,” she said.
Mabogunje, represented by Muda Yusuf, director-general of LCCI, said the private sector had a role to play in complementing the efforts of the IOM in addressing migration challenges in Nigeria.
“Partnership between the private sector and IOM towards engendering sustainable efforts at reintegrating returning migrants to Nigeria will help provide the needed opportunity to explore the productive potential of these returnees and help facilitate their contribution to the economic development of the country,” she further said.
Saskia KoK, migrant protection and assistance officer, IOM, said in her presentation that the organisation had worked with the federal government to provide assisted voluntary return and reintegration support to returning migrants since 2001, and had successfully supported over 14,000 Nigerian migrants. She said it was necessary to engage with the private sector actors in order to enhance ongoing economic assistance particularly for migrants.
“By strengthening partnership with the public and private sectors, IOM aims to achieve sustainable long-term engagement and promote a multi-stakeholder approach in strengthening the economic reintegration of migrants. This is particularly important due to the fact that 90 percent of jobs in developing countries come from the private sector,” she noted.
In a separate interview, she said the private-sector players had an invaluable role to play in helping returnees reintegrate into the society through employment opportunities as they had the skills, resources, mentorship, investment, trainings and critical goods and services required.
Yetunde Arobieke, commissioner, Lagos State Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment, said the ministry was committed to its calling and was supported by the present administration which was passionate about tackling unemployment in the state
Arobieke, who was represented by Boladele Dapo-Thomas, permanent secretary of the ministry, said the major reason for the growing trend of illegal immigration in the country was the high unemployment rate in the country.
“The state government recognises the plight of returning migrants which include: social and economic assimilation, inability to secure jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities. We have made provisions for programmes and schemes dedicated to helping vulnerable persons, including deportees and returning migrants.”
Margret Ukaegbu, south-west zonal director, National Commission for Refugee Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), advocated for more sensitisations around activities of illegal migrations.
In an interview, Muda Yusuf of the LCCI said it was important to reintegrate the migrants because they were Nigerians.
“The private sector has a major role to play in helping returnees by providing engagement platforms, jobs for the returnees, capacity enhancement workshops, training, among others, so they can become economically independent,” he said.
Gbemi Faminu
