The International Ibero-American Foundation for administration and Public Policies (FIIAPP) has organised a public awareness programme tagged`No to human trafficking,
child labour’ for pupils of Christ City Mission School, Tipper Garage, Lugbe, Abuja.
FIIAPP is a Spanish public foundation working on a project titled: Action Against Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants in Nigeria (A-TIPSOM).
Mr Joseph Sanwo, the Senior Project Officer (A-TIPSOM) stated that the aim of the public awareness programme was to let the pupils and management of the school know the danger associated with trafficking.
He said the foundation was also in the school to teach the pupil how to identify traffickers and prevent the menace within their vicinity.
“A-TIPSOM still has the plan of moving to other schools in the FCT, this project is funded by European Union, implemented by FIIAPP, we are partnering with four major actors to do this work in Nigeria.
“Our actors are Network Against Child Trafficking, Abuse and Labour (NACTAL), a civil society organization, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).
“A-TIPSOM aim and objective is to see that the menace of trafficking is totally wiped away from Nigeria, this is why we decided to hold it in this school since is located in the remotest part of Lugbe,’’ Sanwo said.
Mr Carol Shalom, the founder of the school appreciated A-TIPSOM for bringing such a programme to her school among the many schools in Lugbe area, adding that, such a privilege was so rare.
Shalom who is also the coordinator of NACTAL, FCT chapter, said that most of the pupils in the community school could easily be trafficked going by the level of poverty associated with the residents.
“Christ City Mission School is the school for the underprivileged, the poorest of the poor, the street children, the out of school children, I go from street to street to gather them together to teach them, no school fees is been collected from anyone, their parents cannot afford it.
“The public awareness programme by A-TIPSOM will help us, the programme has brought so much information about trafficking. The teachers were excited about what they have heard today.
“Some of these children are orphans; we get our support from good Nigerians to run this School, we seek for more support from well meaning Nigerians,’’ she said.
Mrs Vera-Roli Igbinadolor, Secretary, NACTAL, FCT, called on parents to do all that is required to guide their child against trafficking.
According to her, trafficking business is real and that most of the people doing it were not strangers to the community where they usually get their victim.
“My message to the children and the parents is that we should all be stronger together to fight trafficking.
“Traffickers are deceptive, they are manipulative, they are there to take our children for child labour, we don’t want this in our society,’’ Igbinadolor stressed.
The leader of the community, Mr Abdulsalam Adamu, who expressed his joy for the awareness programme appreciated A-TIPSOM for it, and demand for more of such.
He also appreciated the founder of the school for always putting her resources for the development of the children.
“The founder of the school is trying her best for our children, we are very much grateful to her, she has always put her resources, her power in bringing the children up,’’ he said.
Adamu urged A-TIPSOM to assist in helping to secure a better land to build a better school. (NAN)