The Kwara State Government , North Central has expressed it’s commitment to partnering with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons(NAPTIP) in tackling the menace of human trafficking across the state.
The Commissioner for Social Development, Opeyemi Oluwakemi Afolashade reiterated this while hosting the Agency at the Ministry’s headquarters in Ilorin,
.
Afolashade, who appreciated the Agency’s representatives for the visit, affirmed that the collaboration would offer the needed support against the fight, especially child trafficking
She acknowledged that the menace is reducing but should be brought to the barest minimum.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Mr Peter Kayode Ayanwale, appreciated the team for their hard work and urged them not to relent in their efforts to rid the society of human traffickers.
The Director of Social Welfare, Mr James Kayode David, disclosed that the Ministry has been in partnership with the Agency since 2020, on all matters related to social welfare, protection of human right and justice to humanity, while envisaging that the new synergy will go a long way in the eradication of human trafficking.
The Commandant of the Agency, Mr. Saadu Mustapha Ajara congratulated the Commissioner on her appointment and explained that the Agency is vested with the mandate to curb human trafficking especially child labour and other related matters.
Vulnerable to danger
Talking on the exigency for the partnership, the State Commandant of NAPTIP explained that Kwara State is highly vulnerable to the danger of human trafficking as it shares borders with a country and states with high records of human trafficking.
Ajara, who highlighted various ills of human trafficking to include, prostitution, child labour, forced labour and death disclosed that collaboration with the Ministry through sensitisation, use of task force is very apt to abate the menace.
Lateefah Ibrahim
