We Won’t Tolerate Human Trafficking – Abia Govt Vows As It Marks World Day Against Trafficking
The Abia State government has vowed that it will not tolerate any form of human trafficking in the state.
The special Assistant to governor Alex Otti on vulnerable groups and poverty alleviation, Mrs Ifeoma Thomas stated this during an awareness campaign round the streets of Umuahia on Friday, in commemoration of this year’s World Day Against Trafficking In Persons.
World Day Against Trafficking In Persons is celebrated every July 30. This year’s theme is tagged; “Reach Every Victim Of Trafficking , Leave No One Behind.”
Speaking to ALL FACTS NEWSPAPER during the campaign, Mrs Thomas said;
“We are in this campaign fighting against the heinous crime of human trafficking.
“We will not tolerate it again; not in Abia state or in Nigeria; not in anywhere in the world.
“We are advocating against human trafficking and slavery. They are heinous crimes and we emphatically say no to it.”
Mrs Ngozi Blessing, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation
Speaking on the contributions of the state government in fighting trafficking in persons, Mrs Ngozi Blessing, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation to the governor said the government has been doing a lot to create awareness and raise vigilance and also ensure that the girl child and all citizens of Abia state are given adequate protection.
She noted that poverty is the major cause of human trafficking, which the government is working hard to alleviate.
The Commissioner also cited lack of education, lack of access to regular means of migration as factors that encourages human trafficking.
Campaign Against human Trafficking In Abia State
On her own part, Mrs Chinwe Onyeukwu, Special Assistant to the governor on women affairs, noted that trafficked persons are often times se-xualy abused.
She note that more awareness needs to be created to encourage victims speak up and ensure that culprits are apprehended.
Speaking also, Mr. Dodoh Okafor, the Special Assistant to governor Alex Otti on Public Communication, noted that both males and females have fallen victims of human trafficking mostly owing to poverty.
