FIC Report (Abia State) – Abia State Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding to roll out roadmap instruments between it and the United Nations International Organisation for Migration (IOM).
Speaking after the signing of the MoU, the State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti said that he is excited to work with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) but emphasised that the State Government is much more committed to deploying strategies that encourage reverse migration rather than migration
According to the governor, in the last 21 months, he has introduced policies that create an enabling environment for investors and businesses in Abia State, hence his belief in reverse migration.
“When people encounter IOM, their mind goes to supporting migration, that is true, but the migration that you are going to support here is reverse migration.
“So while we are encouraging migration that is voluntary, we also encourage the reverse migration once it is also voluntary. What makes it voluntary is that the place is good. We want people to come to Abia.
“You can not take off to a place that is not inviting. So, for us, the essence of this place is to make the place inviting and friendly to investors, friendly to visitors, friendly to our people. We will continue to do that,” Gov. Otti stated.
Governor Alex Otti noted that his administration has been committed to pulling people out of poverty, hence his various policies geared towards creating a conducive environment and attracting investors to the state.
“We need to create an enabling environment for businesses to come, and they will create jobs and increase the GDP of the State. They will reduce unemployment and reduce poverty.
“We also have taken a principle stand on pulling our people out of poverty as much as possible. The results we get from some of these actions (friendly policies) are enormous.
“When you see that we have a Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, it is because we want as few people as possible to be in poverty,” Gov. Otti buttressed.
The State Chief Executive, who solicited the Chief of Mission to use her wealth of experience to attract donor agencies to Abia, approved an office accommodation for the organisation and said that he is looking forward to more visits and robust relationship.
Also speaking, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Multilateral and Donor Agencies, Mr. Odinakachi Emeh highlighted the importance of the MoU, saying that it is going to help the state to provide facilities and support to employ the youths and women as well as reduce migration.
“Part of what they will help us to do is to stop migration. If people have something that they are doing, and there is an enabling environment with infrastructure working, they will not like to go out.
“They (IOM) will help us to partner with donor agencies because they are a UN body that also have sister agencies. So, they are going to work with donor agencies to bring in some donors that would partner with the State to implement their policies and their developmental plans,” Emeh assured.
Earlier in her speech, the leader of the delegation and Chief of Mission, United Nations International Organisation for Migration, Ms. Paola Pace said that the MoU signed would strengthen the diaspora engagements between the Abia State Government and the IOM.
She said that they are interested in understanding where Abia is going migration-wise and assured that they are in Abia to see how to strengthen relationship through interaction with thematic Ministries, Departments and Agencies and then find a way of attracting donor agencies to the State since themselves are not donor agencies but work with many of them.
“We also want migration to be a choice and sensible because we seek professionals in the health sector and other sectors leaving Nigeria for regions in Africa, ECOWAS and beyond.
“So, that is our mandate, and we also work on finding solutions for people that migrate forcefully like in terms of internally displaced persons.
“We have developed this road map, so tomorrow we meet with your team for a one day technical session to understand where Abia would like to go migration-wise and how we can do something about it.
“So, this MoU is really like strengthening our commitment to work with you for a more prosperous Abia.
We are here to see how we can strengthen this cooperation and see how we can bring potential donors because we are not a donor agency. We are a technical partner in Nigeria, but we also work with donors,” Pace stated.
“So, we will work with you to bring corporations to invest in Abia to help the people thrive and contribute to the development of the state.
Signed
Abiakam Gloria Ify
HOC, FIC Umuahia Abia State
