The Italian Government has promised improved collaboration with Nigeria towards ensuring both nations achieve better success in the fight against trafficking in persons.
The President of Italy’s Lower Parliament, Laura Boldrini, made the pledge during a visit to Benin City, the Edo State capital.
Boldrini, in company of other top Italian Government officials, was in the state to access the efforts of the Edo State government and that of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in the fight against trafficking.
She stressed the need for both countries to work together in providing support for NAPTIP and other agencies tackling the menace of the illegal act.
“Italy and Nigeria has to increase cooperation at all levels in order to provide enough resources for NAPTIP and other centres, to support the girls who are sent back from Europe, from Italy to rebuild their lives.
“I also think that we have to intervene before that; we have to give the girls the chance to have a decent job and in other to do so, we have to support the efforts of the Governor of Edo State who is trying to give an alternative,” she recommended.
The Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, appealed for better collaboration with the European country in the fight against trafficking.
“We have derailed in our path as a people. Some of the things we are seeing today are consequences of that derailment and that, we are determined to get back on the path of development.
“We are very clear as to what our issues are, what our problems are, and what the solutions should be,” he said.
The Director General of NAPTIP, Julie Okah-Donli, on her part, spoke on the nature of collaboration they expect from the Italian Government.
“There must definitely be a cartel there, we have not been able to break through this cartel. We are looking for ways where we will partner more with these other countries where these girls are brought back from, so that we can break into this cartel and investigate deeper,” she said.
