By Praise Chinecherem
The Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo has approved the State Action plan on the war against human trafficking in the state.
The approval which came during the state Executive council meeting followed formal presentation of the document to the council by Attorney General of the State, Prof Sylvia Ifemeje, who doubles as Chairman of the State Taskforce.
This is even as State Commander, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Mrs Ibadin Judith-Chukwu decried lack of befitting accommodation to harbour victims.
The work plan was drafted from National Action plan on human trafficking and by the approval, all counter trafficking activities of the task force have received the backing of the State and the workplan has become one of the policy documents of the state.
The implication is that the state has okayed the document to be used to stamp out trafficking in the state.
Reacting, NAPTIP boss praised the governor for approving the action plan, saying with the approval, the taskforce is fully equipped for anti human trafficking fight.
She also commended the inputs of the State Attorney General towards getting the Action Plan approved.
She said, “By this, the taskforce is now fully equipped to source for funding from donor agencies and development partners and to receive funding from the state government.
“This has also given visibility to the taskforce before every body fighting human trafficking in the state.
“By this approval, Anambra state has joined the rest of the states in Nigeria that have taken a cue from the National Workplan on human trafficking, saying it has boosted the capacity of the NAPTIP to deliver on its mandate.
The State NAPTIP boss, who doubles as co-chair of the State taskforce called on the governor to assist the command with a befitting accommodation to enable it work effectively.
“It is unfortunate that despite the enormous task we do, we do not have a befitting work space in Anambra.
“If we are not well-accomodated, how can we fight this crime? We arrest suspects and we receive victims.
“If we do not have a conducive environment where we habour the victims for psychological evaluation and rehabilitation, how can we do that.
“It will not augur well for the Action plan, that we are not well-equipped in terms of accommodation,” she noted.
