World Day Against Trafficking In Persons: Egbara Calls For Collective Effort To End Human Trafficking In Cross River State.

World Day Against Trafficking In Persons: Egbara Calls For Collective Effort To End Human Trafficking In Cross River State.

By Eriacy Confidence Oba

According to OVC, every year, an estimated 600,000 to 800,000 men, women and children are being trafficked across the international borders. And of the 600,000 to 800,000 trafficked across international borders each year, 70 percent are female and 50 percent children.

In an effort to curb the menace of rising cases of human trafficking globally, 30th of July every year is observed as World Day Against trafficking in persons. The day which was adopted in 2013 by the UN member states to raise awareness of the situation of victims and for the promotion and protection of their rights, has its 2020 theme focused on the first responders. According to  the UN, these are the people who work in different sectors- identifying, supporting, counseling and seeking justice for victims of trafficking and challenging the impunity of the traffickers.

 The Cross River State Government, through the ministry of humanity and social welfare joined their counterparts the world over to mark the day. Speaking, on behalf of His Excellency, Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade, Governor of Cross River State, the Honourable Commissioner for humanity and social welfare, Mrs Blessing Egbara said human trafficking constitutes an offence and a serious threat to human dignity, physical integrity, human rights and development.

 The commissioner maintained that the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services through the use of force, fraud or coercion for the purpose of involuntary servitude is a crime globally and that the Ben Ayade administration is bent on bringing perpetrators of such a  heinous crime to book as well as ensure the compensation and rehabilitation of trafficked persons in the state.  She
noted that despite efforts by states and countries of the world to end trafficking in persons, the menace continues to skyrocket, posing a great challenge to the world due to the activities of some people.

Mrs Egbara, however warned all parents who allow themselves to be used or lured to aid the trafficking of their children, under whatever circumstances to desist forthwith or face the wrath of the law. She therefore called  for intensified efforts by both organizations and individual to end human trafficking in persons in the state as well as appreciate all those who have sustained the fight against trafficking in persons.

End.