By Usman Aliyu
Stakeholders in the fight against human trafficking have called for stronger collaboration, sustained political commitment and improved coordination to tackle the crime in Edo.
They made the call in a communiqué issued at the end of a meeting on Tuesday in Benin.
The meeting was convened by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Benin Zonal Command, in collaboration with the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD).
The stakeholders said the call became necessary among government agencies, civil society organisations and development partners to curb the social menace.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that participants include representatives of government ministries, departments and agencies, and law enforcement organisations.
Others are educational institutions, civil society organisations, faith-based groups, traditional and community leaders, as well as the media.
The meeting, according to the communiqué, was organised to strengthen collective efforts toward preventing human trafficking, protecting victims, prosecuting offenders and promoting effective partnerships among stakeholders.
The stakeholders identified inadequate public awareness, poor funding, family interference, prolonged judicial processes and the emergence of new trafficking methods as major obstacles to the fight against human trafficking.
Other challenges highlighted include peer pressure, cultural and religious beliefs, inter-agency rivalry, under-reporting of cases, and weak legal implementation.
They also identified lack of political will, poor coordination among non-governmental organisations and victims’ reluctance to cooperate with law enforcement agencies.
The communiqué stressed the need for stronger institutional collaboration and regular information sharing to improve responses to trafficking cases.
It also underscored the importance of building a comprehensive database, fostering peer learning and generating reliable information to support research and evidence-based interventions.
To strengthen stakeholders’ engagement, participants recommended quarterly meetings, regular feedback mechanisms, joint capacity-building programmes and improved referral systems for victims.
They also called for the development of a Memorandum of Understanding between NAPTIP, ICMPD and partner organisations to deepen collaboration.
“NAPTIP needs the political will of the Edo government in the fight against human trafficking in the state,” the communiqué stated.
The stakeholders also urged partner organisations to support one another by attending programmes, sharing resources and leveraging their respective areas of expertise to improve service delivery.
As part of measures to sustain the collaboration, the communiqué recommended improved synergy among stakeholders, robust partnerships, effective monitoring and evaluation of activities, and feedback on referrals.
They also advocated creation of a directory of stakeholders’ activities and the establishment of a WhatsApp platform to facilitate communication and networking.
“The meeting concluded with a collective resolve to work together to prevent trafficking, protect victims and prosecute perpetrators.”
Participants, however, commended NAPTIP and ICMPD for convening the meeting and pledged their continued support toward combating human trafficking in the state.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Chioma Ugboma