IOM commends FG’s efforts in tackling irregular migration, trafficking in persons

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Global Migration Media Academy (GMMA) has commended the Federal Government for its efforts in the fight against irregular migration and trafficking in persons.

The IOM’s Awareness Raising Officer, Nigeria, Cyprine Cheptepkeny, gave the commendation at three-day training organised by IOM GMMA in partnership with the Pan Atlantic University (PAU) for journalists on ethical and migration reporting in Lagos.

The three-day capacity building which opened on Tuesday, would end on today.

She also commended journalists for their role in the fight against irregular migration and trafficking in persons.

Cheptepkeny said the IOM’s GMMA was established as a one-stop shop for journalists and mass communication students to get well-informed information and data as well as report migration issues accurately.

“Since April 17, IOM in collaboration with MDAs has assisted more than 21,000 stranded migrants in Libya, Niger, Mali, and other transit destination countries to voluntarily return to Nigeria.

“The commitment of IOM can be seen in the capacity building of the media partners and other interventions for the returned migrants in Nigeria.

“This training is unique because it is an avenue for IOM to strengthen ethical and accurate reportage,” she said.

The Dean of School of Media and Communication, PAU, Dr. Mike Okolo, congratulated participants, and urged them to take the training seriously.

Okolo, represented by a facilitator at the training, Dr. Ezechukwu Isaac-Ogugua, said the training would enlighten them on the need to entrench ethical practices and standards in reporting migration issues.

He said that the mission of PAU was to advance knowledge in the media and communication through research and re-skill the competencies of participants.

According to him, participants at the end of the training will be able to conceptualise migration and human history.

“Participants will be able to identify the importance of migration and easily unpack the various legal means open to humans to migrate.”

According to him, the training will also uncover the measurements of development in different economies of the world, as well as underscore the media portrayal of development and its effect on migration.