Human Trafficking: Onaiyekan Blames Get-rich-Quick Syndrome
Catholic Archbishop of Nigeria, His Eminence John
Cardinal Onaiyekan, has blamed the rise in human trafficking on the get-rich quick syndrome of most Nigerians, regretting that a lot of young people have lost
their lives in a dangerous attempt to get to Europe continent and other
developed countries.
Onaiyekan also called on Europe countries and other
developed countries to relax the stringent demands placed on visa applicants in
the spirit of globalisation, adding that with the Syrian refugees influx into
Europe, a regime of strict border control cannot be sustained for too long.
He stated this while delivering the keynote address
at the 2017 Anti-human Trafficking Public Lecture organised by the National
Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).
The event which was part of activities to celebrate
this year's World Day against human trafficking has the theme: “Nigeria's
Anti-human Trafficking Efforts: The Uncomfortable Truth’.
The cleric, while observing that some of the
victims of human trafficking are lured through the offer of various scholarship
and contracts by their beneficiaries, however held that others are victims
because of their pursuits of wealth and affluence.
"It is often said that our young people are
running in droves abroad because of poverty and misery at home. There is no
doubt that there is too much poverty and misery in our land and that those who
are in charge of the economy need to do more to improve our economic
environment. But, I'm beginning to believe that what is pursuing many people
abroad is the desire and ambition to get rich quickly and at all cost.
"The girls parading themselves half naked for
sale on the suburbs of Milan and Nepal to our shame are not the poorest girls
in Nigeria. While doing our best to improve the standard of our people, we need
to encourage people to be patient, modest in their expectations and learn to
live happily and peacefully, working hard and building our own economy here at
home," the cardinal said.
He stressed that it is high time religious and
other leaders began to impress it upon Nigerians that there is more to life
than wealth and affluence, adding that so many people have gotten themselves
killed in the pursuit of wild dreams of making much money abroad.
While acknowledging the concerns of Europe over the
plight of the thousands of people who embark on dangerous voyages in the bid to
enter their countries, the archbishop stressed that it is time for Europe to
move from words to action, stressing that a lot of people took the risk because
of the stringent requirements placed on visa applicants seeking entry to Europe
countries and other countries.
According to him, "Traffickers thrive because
of high restrictions on the free movement of people. The world must wake up to
the realities around us and open our borders to encourage free movement of
persons and business.
"It means relaxing and liberalising visa
regulations so that people can line up for visas at embassies instead of being
washed ashore on the islands after many years of ordeals through the deserts.”
He, however, expressed hope the conference would be
a good opportunity to provoke adequate response from the authorities.
Also speaking, Attorney General of the Federation
and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), reiterated the government's
determination in ridding the menace of human trafficking from the country due
to the shame and embarrassment the issue is bringing the nation.
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