Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo has called on the European Union (EU) and other international partners to support his administration’s efforts to curb irregular migration and address the factors driving residents to leave the country.
Okpebholo made the call on Wednesday when he received a delegation of EU representatives on a courtesy visit to the Government House in Benin City.
The governor stated that his administration is committed to protecting Edo residents from the dangers of irregular migration, stressing that living abroad is not necessarily the best option for everyone.
He explained that the government is engaging relevant stakeholders and exploring ways to improve opportunities at home in order to tackle the root causes of migration.
“Each time I travel, I see Nigerians in the diaspora, and something comes to my mind. If these people were in Nigeria, they could have contributed significantly to the country’s development. For me, I don’t believe leaving your country for another country is the best thing to do. That is why we take it seriously to make sure we protect our people. This is one of the major reasons why we set up the Edo State Migration Agency and Edo State Diaspora Agency to interface with relevant stakeholders,” he said.
Okpebholo added that if he had left Nigeria for Germany or another country, he would not have become governor. He explained that his administration is working deliberately to discourage irregular migration. While noting that migration from the state appeared to be declining, he expressed concern over the challenges many Nigerians continue to face abroad.
The governor cited the return of some families from South Africa and urged them to see Nigeria as a place where they could rebuild their lives and contribute to national development.
He, however, acknowledged that the government could not address all the challenges facing returnees without external support and therefore called for increased assistance from international partners.
Earlier, the Director-General of the Edo State Migration Agency (EDMA), Mr. Lucky Agazuma, commended Okpebholo for his administration’s efforts to manage migration and tackle human trafficking. Agazuma said the governor’s commitment had attracted attention beyond Edo State, noting that other states had expressed interest in learning from its migration management strategies. He called for deeper engagement with the EU and other international partners to explore collaborative approaches to migration management.
Similarly, the Director-General of the Edo State Diaspora Agency, Dr. Loretta Ogboro-Okor, called for stronger efforts to address irregular migration and promote safe labour migration. She commended the governor for supporting the agency, saying his commitment reflected an understanding of the need to protect Edo indigenes both at home and in the diaspora.
Also speaking, Franklin Nguendia, Seconded National Expert and European Union Liaison Officer, said the delegation visited the state to engage government officials on migration challenges.
He explained that the visit would enable the team to understand the state’s migration situation, identify existing gaps and discuss ways to strengthen cooperation in addressing related challenges.