The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) says it is mandatory for travel agents to obtain clearance certificates before embarking on any journey.
The Director-General of the agency, Dr Fatima Waziri-Azi, said this in Abuja on Saturday at a novelty match between the agency football club, and All Stars Football Club, Abuja, to create awareness on trafficking.
She said that the mission of travelling for any agent would be specified in the clearance certificate, which would help to reduce trafficking and migration of persons from Nigeria.
The novelty match was part of the awareness to commemorate the 2022 Day Against Human Trafficking usually celebrated every July 30.
Waziri-Azi said the nexus between sport and the fight against human trafficking was clear, as current trends in human trafficking has been traced to a relationship with sporting activities.
According to her, sports is an avenue young people are being recruited and promised opportunities in other countries especially European countries, as traffickers know that young people are very open to any sport opportunity.
She said traffickers capitalise on sporting activities to deceive young Nigerians, by telling them that they could get them contracts in other countries and take them to where they wanted them to go.
“There is a strong nexus between trafficking and sports and we know that young people are involved in sporting activities, this was why we thought it was important to dwell on sports to create this awareness.
“We are collaborating with other partners, agencies to carry out this sports sensitisation, not just to sensitise the young people but also sensitise their parents for them to be able to recognise the red flag.
The Director-General therefore cautioned young Nigerians about sports agents, saying that when they are offered sports opportunities abroad, they must first ask for a clearance certificate from NAPTIP from the agent.
She said the agency had a trafficking in persons control activities, Organisations Regulations 2019, which empowers it to regulate, control and issue certificates to tour operators, travel agents.
According to her, the regulations also empowers NAPTIP to regulate and control individuals who are also preparing to travel out for educational excursion, sporting and cultural activities, and collaborating with other sister agencies to ensure that the menace of trafficking was nipped in the bud.
There is a strong nexus between trafficking and sports and we know that young people are involved in sporting activities; this was why we thought it was important to dwell on sports to create this awareness.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mrs Daju Kailallom, disclosed that the Ministry was doing everything within its ambit to ensure that employment opportunities were made public to Nigerians wherever such was available.
According to her, a National Steering Committee, comprising the ministry and other ministries officials, including the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning as the Coordinator, is handling employment issues for Nigerians.
She said the idea is meant to discourage young Nigerians from migrating out of the country.
“This Committee is to ensure that Nigerians find succour and also bring to the public anything that would bring about employment, to ensure that everything was in place for them, including social security.
“This idea is tied to International Labour Organisation (ILO) and other social partners like UNICEF; it is to ensure that migration and human trafficking is stopped in Nigeria.”
Kailallom also said the Ministry of Labour and Employment has the mandate to ensure employment opportunities are created in line with the Federal Government’s policy, adding that the Ministry has different kinds of skills open to people to come and learn. (NAN)
