The Nigeria Immigration Service NIS has inaugurated a training centre in Ilorin, Kwara State for easy tracking of illegal immigrants in the country.
The training centre which is a joint sponsorship of the Nigeria Immigration Service, the International Organisation for Migration and the government of the Netherlands will train personnel for three Federal Government agencies to fight illegal migration into the country.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Personnel Training Resource Centre in Ilorin, Kwara State, the acting Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service, Mrs Caroline Adepoju, said that the centre would train officers for the NIS, National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, and the Port Health Services.
The training centre, according to Adepoju, would complement the four existing training institutions of the service.
The CGIS who was represented by the Kwara State Comptroller, Aminu Shamsuddin, commended the international body for their effort in tackling migration around the nation.
She explained that the Training Strategy Policy was necessitated by the Needs Assessment Report of 2014, on Personnel Capital Formation, Skills Enhancement, and the quest for well-informed personnel in the service.
She said, “Also, the development and implementation of the policy were fundamental to meeting the training needs of modern migration management in Nigeria.
“The NIS Training Strategy Policy Programme was introduced to foster inter-agency cooperation and collaboration amongst the NIS, National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, and the Port Health Services.
“The project’s structural development incorporated into it, a joint learning curriculum that enhances understanding among the designated agencies on Modern Migration Management in line with global best practices.
“All the nine Personnel Training Resource Centres established across the country will witness the participation of officers from NIS, NAPTIP and PHS officials.
“Given its strategic location, Kwara State was considered suitable for the establishment of a personnel training centre to meet capacity development needs for staff within the zone,” she said.
She thereby recognized the International Organisation for Migration, on whose platform, road maps and guiding vision were refined, as well as the members of the Technical Working Group.
“On behalf of the NIS, I am grateful to the Government of the Netherlands for their generous funding for this Phase 2 of the NIS Training Strategy Implementation Program,” she said.
In his welcome address, Shamsuddin who is the state Comptroller of NIS said that human capacity development was one of the tools used in enhancing the productivity of every personnel alongside the right facilities.
“The PTRC facilities will assist in the repositioning of the Service in its quest towards ensuring all officers and men are trained on the objectives of modern migration management trends and global best practices.
“This e-Learning centre is also bringing forth inter-agency relationships, by hosting joint training of personnel from NIS, NAPTIP and Port Health.
“This is where ideas will be shared towards forestalling the menace of trafficking in persons, smuggling of migrants and health hazards faced at points of entry.
The Comptroller thereby thanked the Comptroller General of Immigration and the Service Headquarters for considering Kwara fit to have the facility, and the IOM for implementation and support.
He, on behalf of all the members of staff of the command, assured safe handling and proper usage of the facility.
Deputy Chief of Mission, Ms. Paola Pace, representing the IOM said that they are pleased to work with NIS, NAPTIP and PHS towards migration of all forms.
“NIS, NAPTIP and PHS are important in migration, as you are the first that migrants usually come across, so we must work together towards migration governance and human rights peace.
“We are here to work together on training strategy, as Kwara is the third centre among the nine states where training centres were established in the country.
“The idea is to continue educating NIS officials and work together with other national agencies to prohibit and prevent trafficking in persons.
“The training centre is a very important facility, so let’s come together towards a similar goal of preventing illegal migration and discuss security issues, at the same time keeping migrants safe.
The State Director of NAPTIP, Mallam Mustapha Ajara and Mrs. Fulera Owolabi, Director of Port Health Services promised continuous collaboration with Nigeria Immigration Service.
A royal father, Oba Lawal Mufutau Adebayo, the Onipe of Ipee in Kwara state inaugurated the training centre.