The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has warned young Nigerians against the dangers of irregular migration, urging greater awareness and advocacy to safeguard migrant workers’ rights.
Acting General Secretary of the NLC, Mr. Benson Upah, said this in Abuja at a one-day workshop, themed “Youth on the Move: Securing Migrant Workers’ Rights in ECOWAS and Beyond.”
He said, while the ECOWAS Free Movement Protocol guarantees rights to mobility, residence, and establishment, awareness and enforcement remain weak, especially among youths.
“Nigeria, with its large youth population, must ensure that young people, whether potential migrants or returnees, are equipped with knowledge, tools, and platforms to advocate for migrant rights,” Upah said.
He added that the NLC would continue to carry out activities and collaborate with stakeholders to strengthen the capacity of affiliates and young people in migrant rights advocacy.
Appreciating GIZ for its support, Upah stressed the need for properly guided migration, warning of the risks associated with youth migration.
“In today’s world, migration, especially youth migration with the attendant socio-political and economic landscape surrounding it, is increasingly marked by rising hostility toward migrant workers, especially from developing countries.
“Discrimination, precarious employment conditions, exploitation, and limited access to legal protections characterise the experiences of many migrant workers.
“To curb the tide, ECOWAS has developed relevant instruments to promote free movement and migration,” he said.
Upah noted that the event aimed to mobilise youths and young workers to actively advocate for the protection of migrant workers’ rights within Nigeria, the wider ECOWAS region, and beyond.
“As we use this forum to raise awareness among young Nigerians on migrant workers’ rights and regional protection mechanisms, we should also highlight the challenges faced by young migrant workers, especially from developing nations, in hostile foreign environments.
“The promotion of youth engagement in advocacy and policy dialogues related to migration and labour rights is a critical way to protect migrant workers’ rights.
“Facilitating cross-sector collaboration among government, civil society, and international actors to amplify youth voices in migration governance, as we are doing now with GIZ, is a noble initiative that we must sustain,” he stated.
Also speaking, NLC Focal Person on Migration, Comrade Eustace James, emphasised the importance of youth participation in migration policy formulation.
“Initiatives like Short Courses on Migration will encourage young Nigerians to discuss migration themes, fostering a greater understanding of migration issues.
“Organisations should promote training, studies, and research on migration to engage young people in these discussions,” James said.
Head of Programme, GIZ-ZME, Mrs. Sandra Vermuitjten-Alonge, explained that the organisation represents the German Development Agency in Nigeria.
“We implement a program here in Nigeria on behalf of the German Federal Government and the Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development, the BMZ, which is called the Program Centers for Regional Development.
“We’ve been implementing this program in different cycles since 2017 in Nigeria,” she said.
Th event was jointly organised by the NLC in partnership with German International Cooperation (GIZ). It sought to celebrate the contributions of young people while addressing issues affecting them.
PIAK