The Executive Director Work Of Mercy Initiative (WOMI) Mrs. Ifeyinwa Calista Ugwu in collaboration with National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRM) and Civil Society Network on Migration and Development on May 8, 2024 conducted a Sensitization programme on Understanding the Dangers of Irregular Migration at Onokolo town hall Obinagu Nike, Engugu East Local Government Area, Enugu State.
The Executive Director WOMI, Mrs. Ifeyinwa Calista Ugwu in her address advises youths and every other persons that wants to travel outside our country Nigeria to do it rightly. Go to the embassy of the country you are traveling to and get the required information after you must have gotten your passport from the immigration services commission, she said.
Mrs. Ify Ugwu stated that going out to another country through irregular means jeopardizes the life of the migrants. We should stop falling victim to agents that collects money to process visa for us, we should do the needful by ourselves through following the right channels, irregular migration is an exploitation to ones life, most times cost ones life and should be put to an end by traveling through the night way, Mrs. Ugwu added.
Other discussant, Ambassador Amarachi – Okafor, President Ihuoma Girls Care and Support Initiative and Cordinator Civil Society Network on Migration and Development Enugu State who represented their Zonal Cordinator Chief Jata, reiterated that traveling outside our country should be done genuinely by going to the right place to obtain the documents required. She encouraged mothers to help advise their children to follow the right step while traveling outside the country.
Mr. Vincent Okenyi, Zonal Cordinator National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRM) who was among the speakers advised youths who have tried to travel outside our country but couldn’t get the visa to stay and do legitimate business, that they can still travel on business trip later, rather than traveling through irregular means.
Donatus Anike, NOA, COMO Enugu East LGA, in his words advised the participants to take message to their families and friends who were not in programme to ensure that no one makes the mistake of traveling outside our country through irregular channel.
Some of the stakeholders in the community who were present in the programme are Chief Raphael Ugwu (Onowu) who represented their traditional ruler H R.H Igwe Gabriel Okoh, President General, Mbulujodo autonomous community, Deacon Sunday Patrick Anike and Chief Friday Ugwu, Chairman Onuogba Nike Development Union.
More than six five youths participated in the programme.
In the closing remarks Mrs. Ifeyinwa Calista Ugwu the Executive Director Work Of Mercy Initiative (WOMI) also informed the women that participated in the programme that WOMI is a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) which also helps women with loans of zero interest to support their small scale businesses. She appreciated them for participating in the programme and encouraged them to utilize what that learnt in the programme positively.
