By Favour Nnabugwu

Abuja – The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, SMEDAN, and the International Organisation for Migration, IOM, have signed an agreement to rehabilitate trafficked persons and other migrants in Nigeria.

The MoU was signed at SMEDAN headquarters in Abuja by the IOM Chief of Mission, Mr. Martin Ocaga and the Director-General of SMEDAN, Alhaji Muhammad Nadada Umar.

IOM would, by virtue of the agreement, assist migrants in meeting the operational challenges of migration, encourage social and economic development through migration as well as respect their human rights.

Ocaga said: “We have partnership with the Ministry of Labour and Productivity, various government partners, the Nigerian Migration Services, National Agency for Prohibition and Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, amongst others.

“This co-operation with government and stakeholders has contributed immensely to a better life of people of Nigeria.”

He said the collaboration would strengthen the activities of SME development, reintegration and rehabilitation of trafficked persons and other migrant beneficiaries of IOM Nigeria programmes.