Julie Okah-Donli, the
DG of NAPTIP(National Agency For The Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons) has
continued to sustain and up the ante on the fight against human trafficking in
Nigeria against all odds. She has intensified efforts to eradicate this malaise
in our system through many programs and policies including technology.
Recently she launched
an application that could be downloaded through google store on our phones to
make it easy to report trafficking in persons regardless of where you are at
that moment through your cell phone. The application is called “iReport”.
This is commendable as
it queues into the trend among the youths of downloading applications easily through
their phones without conditions. Don’t forget that the youths fall into the
demography that is exploited immensely by these traffickers, hence the need to
take the anti campaign to them head on.
This comes to booster
the efforts of her earlier initiative called “Operation Block”, a
joint security team formed to checkmate these traffickers through the physical
security option. The activities of the squad has since been yielding a lot of
positive results as many traffickers have been busted by the squad.
The indefatigable DG
has continued to create greater awareness about the activities of the agency,
by taking the campaign to various places of interest like schools. The campaign
has also been amplified on the media through various awareness programs on TV
and other media apparatus, a strategy designed to keep the activities of the
program in the news and make it easy for people to report the activities of the
traffickers for rapid response from the agency.
In all this, it must be
noted that she is walking a terrain that is perilous because many of the people
she is chasing have strong network with the rich and the powerful in our
society who have been profiting in this business for many years. But she is neither deterred nor intimidated,
rather she is committed to deliver on her mandate irrespective of the attendant
risk associated with the task.
Regardless, she has
continued to build strong alliances with international organizations including
EU and many other interest groups across the globe to compliment her efforts
locally to eradicate or at best reduce the level of human trafficking to the
barest minimum.
The most interesting
aspects of the fight against human trafficking is the ability of the agency to
rehabilitate and also assist trafficked persons regain their lives again
economically and even medically as the case may be. Many have been
rehabilitated and giving a new lease of life by the agency under her auspices
and tutelage.
Responding to questions
to the press during the anniversary celebration of the agency recently about
the level of convictions completed so far by the agency, she stated that the agency
has secured 356 convictions in court so far.
Accordingly, over
13,000 people have been rescued from being trafficked over the years and the number
continues to burgeon yearly especially with the intensification of the campaign
and strengthening of the law enforcement arm of the agency.
Under her leadership,
international communities and partners of the agency have continued to pour
encomiums and score NAPTIP high in the fight against trafficking. This was
disclosed during the week long activities to mark the 2018 World Day Against
Human Trafficking and coincidentally the 15th year anniversary month
of the agency in July 2018. Recently, EU, UK and German envoy all have pledged
support to the agency while also commending it under the new DG for great job
so far.
She has created a
constant and busy traffic in NAPTIP through her hardwork and dexterity that’s
has ignited the attention of international community, partners and many
stakeholders. This she has achieved through amplified awareness campaign to
exterminate the scourge and the involvement of our celebrities in the campaign with
Tonte Dike as the Brand Ambassador for the agency.
The addition and
introduction of whistle blowing policy and the official launching of a new
slogan for the agency by her, all attest to her aggressiveness to keep anti
human trafficking on the lips of every Nigerian until the mandate and terms of
reference of the agency are sustained year in year out. The new slogan is:
“Ensuring a human
trafficking free nation”
There is no gainsaying
the fact that Julie Okah-Donli is making a lot of impact in our society with
NAPTIP especially in this era when the craze for greener pastures abroad has
remained a-must-achieve ambition for 70% of our youths who are carried away by
the fictitious imageries they watch on TV and social media daily.
It’s interesting to
note that she is barely one year on the job, a situation that makes you wonder
the mileage she will cover four years down the line from now. Your guess is as
good as mine.
It’s worthy to mention
that her ability to connect with the youths by embracing and identifying with
today’s celebrities that are popular with the youths is very commendable and
strategic. She is also keeping a reasonable presence on social media platforms
which is where the youths are right now to help propagate the message and
connect with them directly. This will only make her campaign impactful to
reshape the minds of these youths against these vices and the
Julie Okah-Donli is a
reformer that cannot remain unnoticed in today’s Nigeria. She deserves support
and commendation from everyone to propel her to accomplish the big task of
taming and eradicating human trafficking in our society.
FREEDOM TO OUR
GENERATION!
Anayo
Ekeanya (MBA, BSc, DAIT) writes from Abuja
Twitter:
@getmotivatedng
Facebook:
GetMotivated Naija, Nigerian Youth
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