By Jacinta Nwachukwu
Keffi (Nasarawa) – Dr Emeka Obiezu, a Consultant on Migration Issues, has scored the Federal Government high in migration management, saying Nigeria is a major player in the global and regional cooperation for better management of migration.
Obiezu said this on Thursday at a two-day capacity building workshop organised for media practitioners in Keffi, Nasarawa State.
According to him, Nigeria has participated in various international and regional events and processes such as the High Level Dialogue (HLD) on Migration and the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD).
“Nigeria is an active participant at Migration for Development in West Africa (MIDWA).
“The government of Nigeria has entered into numerous migration-related bilateral and multilateral relationships with countries and organisations,’’ he said.
He added that the training was aimed at engaging media professionals on proper reportage, enhanced media reporting on migration, and contributing to efficient and effective migration governance in country.
Obiezu explained that the capacity building workshop would also assist media practitioners to cover migration with more accuracy and humanity.
“It will also build the capacity of media practitioners on the provision of National Migration Policy, its coordination and implementation.
“ It will also increase their knowledge in basic migration dynamics, trend and management and familiarisation with Key migration terms, Migration dynamics, trend and analysis,’’ he added.
He explained that the 2017 International Migration Report showed that the population of international migrant was 258 million people, representing three per cent of the global population.
Obiezu explained further that in the world, more than 760 million people were internal migrants, 25 million refugees, and more than 68 million displaced.
He, however, said that the root causes of migration were the same principles that drove people to migrate from one region to another.
“They can either provide people with a reason to leave a certain area, or provide people with a reason to move toward a certain area.
“These root causes can be sub-divided into push and pull factors. Push factors are defined as circumstances in regions or countries that repel individuals from staying at that place.
“For instance, push factors include: lack of services, lack of safety, high crime rates, crop failure, droughts, flooding, poverty, political instability, and war among others.
“While pull factors include: higher employment, more wealth, better services, good climate, low crime rates, political stability, more fertile land, and lower risk from natural hazards.
“There is generally difference in factors between places that drives individuals to migrate from one region to another,’’ he said.
The workshop was organised by the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) in collaboration with Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). (NAN)