Presidency tasks stakeholders on job creation to check migration

Adejoke Adefulire, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, has called for collaboration in the area of job creation in order to check illegal migration.
She spoke on Friday in Abuja, when Hajiya sadiya Faqouq, Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced persons, paid her a courtesy visit.
She noted that while Nigerians travel abroad in search of jobs, expatriates were harnessing the job opportunities that abound in the country.
Adefulire who praised the Edo Government for its empowerment programmes for returnees from Libya and Italy, urged other state governments to emulate Edo.
She said: “We have a lot of opportunities, a lot of jobs that can be created. All we need is to consolidate, put our thinking caps, and work together as partners to see that we create a lot of jobs.
“That is why we are leaders, let us see how we can come together, engage the state governors, engage all the agencies of government, working together to solve and restore our confidence in our people.
“There are a lot of jobs to be created, not only white collar jobs, we cannot have enough welders, plumbers because we cannot stop building or maintaining our buildings.
“We are readily available to work with you in whatever capacity.
“Just tell us what you want us to do and we will work together to give the Nigerian people the best they desire.
“SDGs is all about people, peace and prosperity.’’
Earlier, Farouq said that NCFRMI was seeking partnership with SDGs Office in the development of the National Action Plan on migration, which would help tackle migration crises.
She said that the National Action Plan was not included in the MDGs, adding that its inclusion shows the importance of a well-managed migration to sustainable development.
Farouq said: “We want to move from the negative effect of migration to the positive, because migration is not all about those moving through the deserts and the sea illegally in search of greener pastures.
“Migration has been at the centre of national and human development time immemorial, following various trends, various trend of intra-and inter nation interaction and civilisation especially in the recent globalised world.
“Dividends of migration are seminal in the various global actions to eradicate poverty and ensure the integral development of the entire world, such as the current 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
“We are keenly seeking your partnership and collaboration on the 2018 National Migration Day in form of technical and logistical assistance.
“We are seeking support towards planning and hosting technical meetings for migration SDGs stakeholders, leading up to the 2018 NMD.’’