Eben Enasco Reporting.
Potential Migrants in Nigeria are believed to lack the right awareness of the risks associated with irregular Migration and alternatives to safe migration.
And, one of the ways acknowledged to raise awareness posed by the menace on the society is to drive the various measures identified by experts, into the community programs through intensive advocacy pact with the media organizations.
This was the outcome of a three-day training program for Journalists who are seen as critical stakeholders with an emphasis geared towards ethical reportage on irregular migration organized by the international organization For Migration, IOM, at Ikeja, Lagos.
Addressing participants, the facilitators in unison, agreed on the critical role within the framework aimed at strengthening existing collaborations between IOM and the Media organizations in information dissemination.
Dr. Chike Mgbeadichie, a facilitator, in his findings on culture and Migration, believes that the best way to get the message across to vulnerable societies is to identify what they have been doing that has become part of them and explore it.
He explained how he has become concerned about the culturally held values and beliefs of some Nigerians regarding their decisions to Migrate, how to migrate, and where to migrate.
While pointing out the general outcry over moral degradation now affecting the Nigerian community’s conduct, Dr. Mgbeadichie said he is convinced that there is a need to re-educate young citizens on their cultural values to instill integrity rebirth of the human person.
On his part, an Associate professor, Ufuoma Akpojivi, who spoke via zoom identified some factors influencing Migration including Economy, Social, Political, and environmental causes.
He charged the journalists to uphold the ethical values of the profession to build an egalitarian society that will accentuate moral decadence.
Charles Authman another facilitator, was quite confident that migrants have positive contributions to the economy of their destination country but noted that a lot of migrants have to deal with their status challenges which may not allow them into the country often to courageously contribute positively owing largely to the challenges associated.
He, however, revealed how it is perceived in most instances where migrants create a negative impact on the economy and therefore find it extremely difficult to achieve their beliefs.
Earlier, the organizer and Chief Project Officer, IOM, Cyprine Cheptekpeny in her remarks, said since April 2017, the organization had been able to facilitate the return of over twenty-two thousand returnees and reintegrated about eighty-nine thousand within the period under review.
She maintained that their definition of reintegration is hinged on government support through different nexuses.
Cheptekpeny believes that they have recorded some significant achievements and to continue to make progress, the organization is keen on a holistic approach to reportage on occurrences beyond headlines, urging journalists to provide the right framework for ethical professional principles.
According to available records, the International Organization For Migration, IOM, had been working since 2001 with Nigeria Government to provide Assisted Voluntary Return and Registration, AVRR, support to Migrants and is yet more committed to the Principles that human and orderly Migration benefit both Migrants and Society.