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‘Germany, Sweden, Others Deport 170 Nigerians In Nine Months’

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In a trend of deportations spanning several European countries, no fewer than 170 Nigerians have been deported from Germany, Sweden, Lithuania and others in nine months in 2023.
This is according to a compilation of reports and data sourced from the websites of migration agencies of the respective countries.
In May, four siblings aged between 11 and 17 and their mothers were deported alongside 35 others to Nigeria.
The return is part of a growing trend of minors being deported from Germany in recent months.
Between late May and July 4, Germany deported 80 Nigerian migrants, including children battling severe health challenges requiring surgeries.
In the following months, 50 others, comprising 48 males and two females, were deported from Switzerland, Sweden, Luxembourg, Austria, Belgium, Spain and Hungary.
This, according to findings, reflects a larger picture of the migration trend and policies enforced across European borders.
Germany, noted for its stringent migration policies, has significantly contributed to this figure.
According to the German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees, otherwise known as BAMF, stringent evaluations have been taking place in the past few months to process cases of irregular migrants.
This includes asylum applications, which now take about eight months of processing time for Nigerian applicants.
In March, the German Interior Ministry stated that the duration of regular asylum proceedings in Germany increased to more than a year for Nigerians and that it took an average of 7.6 months for a decision to be made by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees.
According to the ministry, the procedures for people from Nigeria took more than a year, while asylum applicants from Somalia and Ghana would wait for 11 months each for a response.
Similarly, Sweden’s migration agency, Migrationsverket, has indicated a rise in the return of Nigerian nationals as the country tightens its policies on asylum seekers.
Lithuania, too, has been actively participating in this effort, as per statements available on the Lithuanian Migration Department’s website, which showed that the measures were not isolated.
In early June, EU interior ministers took steps that rights groups say abandoned the right to asylum for refugees.
Member states agreed that refugees were to be interned in camps at the EU’s external borders in the future, their asylum applications to be decided in a fast-track procedure and then deported to almost any developing country.
The fast-track procedures, which take 12 weeks, have been criticised for a lack of “thoroughness and fairness”.
The report says only refugees from countries with a recognition rate of, at least, 20per cent throughout the EU can lodge a claim under regular asylum procedures.
Currently, countries with a recognition rate below 20percent include Russia, Pakistan, Egypt, Nigeria and Bangladesh.
Reacting to the development, Executive Director, Women Trafficking and Child Labour Eradication Foundation, Imaobong Ladipo-Sanusi, said if individuals assisted to return to Nigeria voluntarily found themselves struggling to reintegrate into society; how much more persons returned home against their will?
She added, “We don’t work with deportations; we work with returns. Even at that, their mind set is already too distorted. So, there is always a need for counselling, not just counselling on the surface; they need trauma-informed care. And that is what we have been advocating.
“I can’t speak for everyone, but I can talk about what we are doing here. There must be reintegration programmes from the receiving country and the sending countries. It is a step-by-step process. There must be a reintegration plan, training and business planning.
“All the people involved need to understand that we are dealing with human beings. Partnership can be government-to-government and some individual organisations directly work with some CSOs in Nigeria.”
Ladipo-Sanusi emphasised that collaboration between European countries and Nigeria could foster better management of migration flows and possibly prevent the need for such deportations in the first place.
She also suggested a multi-faceted approach to address the issue, involving policy reformation, community engagement and international cooperation.
Her organisation, she said, belongs to a vast network partnering with the International Organisation for Migration, the return, readmission and reintegration group under the purview of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants or Internally Displaced Persons.
The spokesperson for the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Rhoda Iliya, could not be reached for comment as of press time, as calls to her mobile line were not answered.

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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo

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The Sole Administrator of Emohua Local Government Area, Barr. Franklin Ajinwo, has reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to supporting community development, peace, and progress, describing it as his life’s calling.
Ajinwo made this known on when Okporowo Vanguard—a foremost association dedicated to driving sustainable development in Okporowo community—paid him a courtesy visit at the Council Secretariat, Emohua.

Speaking during the visit, the Emolga  Council boss advised the group to shun internal wranglings and leadership tussles, cautioning that such impediments could undermine their collective goals. He emphasized that unity is strength, and true power comes only from God.

Highlighting his ongoing efforts in repositioning standards within Emohua Local Government, Barr. Ajinwo commended Okporowo Vanguard for initiating plans to conduct large-scale skills acquisition training for young people in Okporowo. He assured them of his steadfast support towards such developmental initiative.

The former Chairman of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in Rivers State stressed the need for selfless service, saying it is essential for achieving peace, unity, and development in any community.

He applauded the group’s vision of empowering youths through skills acquisition, aligning it with global best practices aimed at reducing dependency on white-collar jobs.

Earlier, the President of Okporowo Vanguard, Hon. Israel Emeji, outlined Barr. Ajinwo’s numerous and impactful contributions to the development of Okporowo community.

According to him, every family in the community has benefited from Barr. Ajinwo’s dedicated employment initiatives.

Hon. Emeji disclosed that during his tenure as Head of Local Government Administration (HLGA) and as NULGE Chairman, Barr. Ajinwo facilitated the employment of over five hundred (500) individuals from Okporowo community—a record that informed the association’s decision to honour him with the Excellent Leadership Award.

In a vote of thanks, the Secretary of the group, Dr. Okechukwu Godwin Amadi, praised Barr. Ajinwo’s outstanding leadership and unwavering support, both before and after his appointment as Sole Administrator.

He thanked him for the warm reception and appreciated members of Okporowo Vanguard for their strong turnout and continuous support for the present administration.

In their separate remarks, Barr. Kelvin Ajinwo, Chief Polycarp Ndala, and other dignitaries present prayed for God’s continued guidance and protection over Barr. Ajinwo, describing him as a divine gift to the Okporowo community.

They expressed hope that he would be granted even more leadership opportunities to further uplift the living standards of the people.

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RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP  …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

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Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their  living conditions.

This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.

Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s

She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.

According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.

The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while  bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.

Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.

Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.

According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.

He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.

Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may  lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.

During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.

The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.

He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.

Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.

They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.

At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.

King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.

Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.

Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.

At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.

He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.

Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.

 

John Bibor

 

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Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman 

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The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.

Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.

Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.

Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.

Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.

In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.

However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.

Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.

In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.

Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.

Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.

“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.

 

 

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