By Victor Asije
Lagos – The National Commission for Refugees, Migrants
& Internally Displaced Persons (NCRMI) on Monday commenced a national
skills acquisition programme for about 2000 Nigerian returnees and
persons of concern.
NCRMI’s South-West Zonal Head, Mrs Margaret Ukegbu, made the disclosure
at the opening ceremony of a Five-Day Skills Acquisition Training for
returnees and persons of concern in Surulere and Yaba, in Lagos State.
Ukegbu said that the decision to train the returnees and others by
the commission was to discourage them and those intending to travel to
Europe or other foreign countries.
“The Honourable Federal Commissioner believes that providing durable
solutions to the challenges of these returnees is the best way to
ensure that they have dignity.
“So the commission has come up with the training programme as the most
practical and result-oriented way of empowering these returnees and
persons of concern to become self-sufficient and self-sustaining.
“The commission really wants these young Nigerians to know that there
is no need for them to be seeking better lives abroad and that that
better life and opportunities are available to them in this country.
“It is just for them to seek the better life and opportunities around
them and earn revenue on a daily basis, rather than risking their lives
while trying to travel to Europe,’’ she said.
Ukegbu said that the training was scheduled to hold simultaneously
in Yaba and Surulere in Lagos State, Ijebu-Ode in Ogun State, and
the North-East of the country, within five days.
The NCRMI official said that the training was meant to develop the
skills of the returnees, refugees and persons of concern in
cosmetology, phone repairs, soap making and photography.
She said that the 200 beneficiaries in the South-West, covering
Yaba, Surulere and Ijebu-Ode, would be exposed to skills in
cosmetology, phone repairs, soap making and photography.
Ukegbu also said that the commission would at the end of the training
issue certificates and start-up allowances to the 2000 beneficiaries
in the selected communities.
A beneficiary, Phil Jimoh, expressed satisfaction at the commission’s
initiative, adding that the training would equip him with the skills
for repairing phones, as well as the start-up grant.
Jimoh said that he would be happy to start his phone repairs services
in Nigeria, rather than exposing himself to dangers while trying to travel
to Europe.
Another beneficiary, Yusuf Mulikat also said that the training would
enable her and others to realise the existing engagement opportunities
for them in Nigeria.
Mulikat expressed optimism that the training would wipe tears from the
faces of many other returnees and persons of concern that had gone
through harrowing experiences
