Obaseki confirms state government stance on fight against human trafficking
Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has expressed that the state government was sincere in its fight against human trafficking and the challenges posed by the menace.
The governor disclosed this at the 2018 National Alumni Lecture of the University of Ibadan Alumni Association, in Ibadan, in a lecture entitled Technical Education and Skills Acquisition As Imperative for Youth Empowerment.
Obaseki said that living in denial would not help the fight, which explained why his administration carried out extensive research to identify the root causes and tackle it, while relying on evidential data gathered from returnees.
Furthermore, he affirmed that data collected from Libya returnees and other victims of human trafficking have revealed the complexities of human trafficking particularly the scope, travel routes and communities most prone to the menace.
“As you might be aware, Edo State was almost becoming synonymous with human trafficking. Today, the story is different. We have admitted that it is our challenge. From our investigations we now have a better understanding of the root causes, the push and pull factors, etcetera.
“Our analysis and research from the data that we have gathered have assisted us tremendously in understanding the size, scope, demographics, travel routes and the communities most prone to trafficking. In other words, we now have a better understanding of how complex the problem is.
“The state government has set up an elaborate plan to revamp Technical and Vocational Training and Education (TVET) in the state, as a means to make youths productive.
“We closed and redesigned the Government Science and Technical College in Benin, and we are currently rebuilding it to reflect contemporary requiremen
