As part of its commitment to mitigating the challenges of migrants, the United Nations, International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Thursday said it has reintegrated 9,000 migrants out of the over 16,000 returnees in the State.
UN Chief of Mission, (IOM), Frantz Celestin stated this at the handing over ceremony of pineapple juice and cassava processing factories funded by the European Union.
The two factories are situated at Iguobazuwa, Ovia South West and Ehor, Uhunmwode local government areas of Edo state.
Celestine said the factories which are parts of IOM reintegration approach to ensure the returned migrants receive the necessary support upon their return and targeted at addressing some of the challenges communities are facing
He equally said the organization is resolved towards strengthening the capacity of its government counterparts and civil society partners on how to combat human trafficking and provide assistance to the victims
“As parts of promoting sustainable reintegration, in our various communities, we believe that we must lend our voices to acknowledged and celebrate the positive”
In his address, Governor Godwin Obaseki represented by the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Yinka Omorogbe said the state government partnership with IOM has continued to yield results following a drastic reduction in the number of returnees from 1, 906 in 2017 to 756 in 2019
She said the Cassava processing and juice factories are clear signs that the joints objectives by the state and International Organization for Migration has recorded huge success more so that the returnees can now face the socio-economic challenges that hitherto compelled them into embarking on such journey
She said Governor Obaseki administration has demonstrated a huge commitment to addressing unemployment in the state via the State Skills Development Agency in job creation, saying that the Agency has significantly improved the earning capacity of Edo people
