President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed deep concern over the increasing exodus of skilled Nigerian youths seeking better prospects abroad.
Disturbed by the trend, the President emphasized the need to address this issue and create job opportunities to retain and empower the country’s educated and talented youth.
Speaking through the Minister for Humanitarian Affairs/Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, at the annual National Dialogue on Migration ,NDM, President Tinubu reiterated his administration’s commitment to reversing the migration trend.
The event, organized by the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons ,NCFRMI, to mark International Migrants’ Day, focused on the theme “Leveraging Youth Migration for National Development.”
President Tinubu emphasized the alarming global statistics on migration, with over one billion individuals classified as international (28 million) and internal (740 million) migrants.
He acknowledged the challenging mandate of the NCFRMI, especially in addressing the recent surge in youth migration from Nigeria.
The President highlighted the importance of the dialogue in addressing the concerns related to youth migration and reaffirmed his commitment to implementing social and economic policies aimed at improving the welfare of Nigerians, reducing extreme poverty, and generating job opportunities for the youth.
Dr. Betta Edu echoed the President’s assurances and encouraged graduates to leverage government programs that promote small and medium enterprises.
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She emphasized ongoing initiatives focused on creating jobs for young graduates, ultimately aiming to build a prosperous nation where citizens have no reason to migrate for economic reasons.
The NCFRMI Federal Commissioner, Aliyu Ahmed, provided insights into the commission’s efforts, including the assistance of returned migrants and integration into reintegration programs.
He emphasized the need for Nigeria to identify solutions that benefit both the country and its migrants.
In her remarks, Dr. Betta Edu emphasized the urgency of finding solutions to address the challenges of Nigerian youths leaving the country.
She highlighted the need for alternative strategies, exploring brain circulation, knowledge transfer, and circular migration to foster sustainable economic development.
The dialogue concluded with a collective call for collaboration between the government and citizens to achieve a prosperous and caring economy that retains and empowers the nation’s youth.
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