By Rosemary Ogbonnaya
Fight against human trafficking has received boost as the Federal Executive Council, Presided by President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the National Action Plan on Human Trafficking in Nigeria for (2022 – 2026).
The National Action Plan on Human Trafficking approval which came on Wednesday, is a major breakthrough in the efforts of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and its supervising Ministry, the Federal Ministry
of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, in curtailing incidences of human trafficking in the Country and also a commendable determination by Government in addressing the global phenomenon.
The latest development came following a Memorandum submitted to the Federal
Executive Council by the Honourable Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster
Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq.
It would be recalled that Nigeria is a signatory to the United Nations Convention on Transnational Organized Crime,UNTOC,and its Supplementing Protocol to
suppress, Prevent and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and
Children (2000).
Further to the establishment of NAPTIP as the institutional
response to trafficking in Persons, Nigeria adopted a multi-sectoral response and all-inclusive approach, to strengthen the policy framework and response to
Human Trafficking by developing its first National Action Plan (NAP) on Human Trafficking in Nigeria (2009 – 2012).
The newly approved National Action Plan provides the national blueprint for coordination of anti-trafficking interventions in Nigeria and ensure greater efficiency in the utilisation of intervention funds from all stakeholders, align
strategic anti-trafficking actions in Nigeria with international standards and to strengthen coordination, implementation and evaluation mechanisms for anti-human trafficking actions in Nigeria.
The National Action Plan is also designed to foster collaboration among stakeholders for greater effectiveness and efficacy in the fight against human trafficking in Nigeria and to set year on year bench-marks for stakeholders’
implementation and provide a basis for evaluation of the level and success of implemented activities.
Speaking on the development, Director General of NAPTIP, Dr. Fatima Waziri – Azi, explained that the “National Action Plans is a national policy document that further demonstrate Nigeria Government commitment to its
international obligation under the UNTOC as it also incorporates various emerging trends, and establishes a robust coordination, implementation and evaluation
mechanism.
Waziri – Azi expressed gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari and all members of the Federal Executive Council for the
approval granted the National Action Plan on Human Trafficking in Nigeria (2022- 2026) describing the action of the FEC as a major boost to the fight against human
trafficking in the Country.
The NAPTIP Director General also thanked the Minister of
Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya
Sadiya Umar Farouq for her sustained support to the Agency, other partners who worked tirelessly to make the National Action Plan a reality and the Government of Switzerland who funded the development of the National Action Plan with
technical support from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes,UNODC.
