*NAPTIP, ICMPD take camping against human trafficking to schools in Edo
By Jethro Ibileke
No fewer than 42 persons lost their lives in 57 road accidents recorded across Edo State between January and April this year.
The State FRSC Sector Commander, Paul Okpe, disclosed this in a chat with journalists in Benin.
According to him, a total of 22 persons were killed in the month of January alone, while four were killed in the month of February, 11 in March and five in April.
Statistics from the FRSC indicated that 537 passengers were involved in the various accidents, while 42 died, 206 injured and others escaped unhurt.
Okpe attributed the crashes to over speeding, brake failure, route violation, dangerous driving, use of phone while driving, among other causes.
He, however, called on motorists to drive with care and imbibe safety culture on the road in order to stay alive.
Meanwhile, the Edo Command of the FRSC, has called for the support of all stakeholders in the transport sector in reducing road traffic crashes and fatalities in the state.
Edo Sector Commander of FRSC, Paul Okpe, made the call during a meeting with stakeholders in the the transport sector.
He said the meeting was aimed at sensitizing transport stakeholders on the need to support the Corps in reducing road traffic crashes.
Okpe noted that the development was part of the Corps Marshal, Dauda Ali Biu’s initiative on zero Road Traffic Crashes (RTC) across the country.
He said: “We are here to educate and sensitize drivers, owners of trailers and trucks, as well as passengers on the need to imbibe safety culture at all times while using the road.
“This is also part of the Corps Marshal’s effort aimed at mitigating road traffic crashes and fatalities involving trailers conveying goods, animals and people.”
The Edo FRSC boss disclosed that the sensitisation would be carried out across the 18 local government areas of the state to esure that all road users imbibe safety culture while on the road.
He therefore charged motorists to avoid over speeding, drunk-driving, route violation, over loading, driving with worn-out tyres among others, in order to stay alive and reach their destination safely.
*NAPTIP, ICMPD take camping against human trafficking to schools in Edo
The National Agency for the Prohibition Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), in collaboration with the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), has engaged stakeholders in Edo on the implementation of the Schools Anti-Trafficking Education and Advocacy Project (STEAP), in the state.
STEAP project is a collaborative effort between NAPTIP and ICMPD, being funded by the Kingdom of The Netherlands.
Speaking during a stakeholders workshop for the validation of the baseline assessment report on human trafficking in Edo, geared towards STEAP’s implementation, NAPTIP Director-General, Dr Fatima Wazir-Azi, said collaborative efforts were needed in the implementation of the project.
Wazir-Azi who was represented at the event by the agency’s Director of Intelligence, Research and Programme Development, Mr Josiah Emerole, said the STEAP project is aimed at ending human trafficking in the country.
She further disclosed that the programme would be implemented in Edo, Delta, Benue, Enugu and Ogun states.
According to her, the essence of STEAP was to deepen the fight against human trafficking and catch the students young at the school level.
Wazir-Azi noted that the fight against human trafficking is a fight for all and not NAPTIP alone because the lives of young people and future leaders of this country are involved.
“The assessment was for us to understand the knowledge base of the schools, students, teachers and the people within the communities, officials of the government involved in the fight against human trafficking and other strata of the society playing one role or the other in human trafficking,” she said.
Also speaking, the Head of West Africa Region, ICMPD, Mojisola Sodeinde, said with over 75 per cent of trafficking victims in West Africa being minors, the STEAP project was crucial in schools.
Sodeinde who was represented by STEAP Manager, Rhoda Dia-Johnson, said ICMPD promotes innovative, comprehensive and sustainable migration policies, harmonizes and makes migration management more efficient, and functions as a service exchange mechanism for governments and organizations through research, capacity building and migration dialogues.
She further explained that the baseline assessment report was being validated to serve as a blueprint that would guide strategies and actions in combating human trafficking in the coming years.
According to her, “It reflects the real and pressing needs of our communities, and its validation is crucial for ensuring our interventions are appropriately targeted and effectively implemented.”
Also speaking, the Edo State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Oluwole Uzzi, said that the STEAP initiative would help students to recognise the signs of trafficking, protect themselves as well as report suspicious activity.
Uzzi who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Mrs Aikefe Aigbavboa, said that schools should be sanctuaries of safety and learning, not breeding grounds for exploitation and social vices.
On her part, the State Commissioner for Education, Dr Joan Oviawe, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mrs Ero Ugiagbe, noted that the STEAP initiative would strengthen the state government’s anti-human trafficking activities.
While assuring the Ministry’s active support in the implementation of the project, Oviawe expressed optimism that it would achieve its aim of reducing trafficking in persons, especially minors in the state.