New Jobs Will Stem ill-fated Migration Of Nigerians – Atiku Abubakar

BY AMOS DUNIA, ABUJA – Former Vice President and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, on Sunday said creating jobs, opportunities and inclusive government that does not engender crisis, will stem the ill-fated migration of Nigerians to other countries.

He also said a fair and inclusive government would spread available opportunity to all citizens and encourage those with entrepreneurial inclination to start businesses and factories to absorb the teeming unemployed population, thus making unbridled migration unnecessary.

Atiku Abubakar, who stated this on an occasion to mark the United Nations International Migrants Day on December 18, 2017, said the major driver of migration, which at times are ill-fated like Libya case, is the search of a better life and opportunity.

The Waziri Adamawa said to prevent the recurrence of unbridled migration as we have today among Nigerian youths, the authorities at Federal and State levels should endeavor to discourage potential migrants through public enlightenment and information about the down sides of poorly conceived overseas travels.

The former Vice president however, bemoans that the current situation in the country where three million jobs, according to the NBS, has been lost annually in the last two years, is quite disturbing, stressing that with no prospects of opportunities, some young people are compelled to take the suicidal flights out of Nigeria.

In a statement by his media office in Abuja, Atiku advised governments at all levels to create the enabling environment that will attract and sustain investments to create jobs for Nigeria’s army of unemployed.

He said; “The chances of a young person with a job and opportunity at home taken a suicidal flight in search of a better life will become an exception and not the rule.”

While acknowledging that migration is caused by poverty and insecurity in the original countries of the migrants, Atiku Abubakar said that it is imperative for governments in Africa, Nigeria inclusive, to govern in such a way as to create an environment conducive for economic progress and employment generation.

According to him; “migrants being humans deserve decent treatment. Migrants did not choose to be migrants and that it is unpleasant social, economic and political conditions in many countries that forcefully uproot people and turn them into migrants seeking new homes, security, employment and a better future.

“All hands need to be on deck to deal squarely and in a humane manner with the challenges thrown up by the reality of migration in our contemporary World.”

He regretted that among the worst forms of maltreatment, which a migrant can experience, is the large scale enslavement of young and helpless Nigerian and African migrants in Libya which recently drew global attention.

The former Vice President therefore urged the international community to ensure that countries strictly adhere to the international code on the treatment of migrants.