The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, and the International Centre for Migration, Policy Development, ICMPD have inaugurated anti-trafficking Vanguard Clubs in Asagba Mixed Secondary School, Asaba and Oruchi Comprehensive Secondary School, Amachai, Okpanam in Oshimili North local government area of Delta State.
The vanguard clubs inauguration is part of the Schools Anti-Trafficking Education and Advocacy Project (STEAP )Project funded by the Government of Netherlands, and being implemented by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, and the Delta State Ministry of Education.
The STEAP Project which commenced few years ago is aimed at taking the fight against human trafficking and violence against persons to the school community, involving students, teachers and other critical stakeholders.
The STEAP implementation has impacted positively on the benefiting schools with execution of several projects such as solar installation, provision of furniture, bole hole, and classrooms renovation.
At Asagba Mixed Secondary School, Asaba, the Zonal Commander of NAPTIP Benin Zonal Command in charge of Edo and Delta States, Mr Sam Offiah, sensitized the school children during the morning assembly on trafficking , the dangers associated with it as well as what is expected of the school community in combating the ugly trends.
Mr Offiah who later inaugurated the anti-trafficking and violence against persons Vanguard Club at the school, restated the commitment of his agency to combating human trafficking. He
said the essence of the vanguard club was to involve students in the campaign against human trafficking in school communities, considering the fact that young people are vulnerable to trafficking.
He stated, “We all know that traffickers prey on children of school age; the students. That’s the rationale why NAPTIP, as our national mandate, to eliminate the incidence of human trafficking in schools, we deem it wise, with the sponsor of this project, to come to schools to inaugurate these vanguards. And this school is also lucky because out of all the schools in Delta State, this school , Asagba Mixed Secondary School is selected among the 50 schools where the vanguard clubs are being inaugurated. So, your school is a pilot school for this vanguard clubs inauguration. There are other things that are associated with the whole STEAP project which are the school improvement projects”
Mr Offiah urged members of the Anti-Trafficking Vanguard Clubs to help sensitise their peers, parents, and others about the dangers of human trafficking, and to reject any attempt by traffickers to lure them.
The NAPTIP Benin Zonal Commander also sensitised the students on the strategies adopted by traffickers to entice innocent young adults, girls, and boys.
He explained that engaging schools in the fight against human trafficking is part of efforts to reach the grassroots and ensure students are well informed about human trafficking, so they can report red flags to authorities, counsellors, and teachers. He added that NAPTIP responds by rescuing victims and apprehending and prosecuting traffickers.
The ICMPD STEAP Project Officer for Delta State, Ijeoma David-Ukoko gave assurances of the preparedness of ICMPD to support the school children who are members of the vanguard clubs.
David-Ukoko stated further, “For the vanguard club members, you have much work to do. It’s not just enough to wear your anti trafficking T-shirt, you are expected to join in the fight against human trafficking. The ICMPD STEAP Project is here already, and we are ready to support you, and guide you to know the antics traffickers use, and what to do , as well as the pathway of reporting such trafficking. You have trained teachers; you have the vanguard coordinator, you have your principal and other school management that you can go to when you suspect any trafficking issue. If you see something, you say something”.
The Principal of Asagba Mixed Secondary School, Dr Eboka Obiajulu expressed delight over the initiative to inaugurate school children as members of anti trafficking Vanguard Clubs, and also thanked ICMPD and the Government of Netherlands for the renovation of classrooms in the school as part of the school based improvement projects.
A community leader in Asaba, Ogbechi Benjamin Okonkwo gave an assurance that the palace of the Asagba was intensifying efforts to combat human trafficking, and other social vices in Asaba community.
He commended NAPTIP and ICMPD for inaugurating school children as vanguards against human trafficking
Some members of the newly inaugurated NAPTIP Vanguard Club expressed readiness to join the fight against human trafficking in their school communities.
There were goodwill messages from the representative of the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education and the desk officer , Mr Eze Markins, the STEAP project implementing partner as well as the chairman of the school PTA, Mr Omene Osbert.
Meanwhile, thirty students of Oruchi Comprehensive Secondary School, Okpanam have been Inaugurated as members of the anti- trafficking Vanguard Club.
Performing the ceremony, the the NAPTIP Benin Zonal Commander, Mr Sam Offiah said NAPTIP has the general mandate to eliminate the incidence of human trafficking in Nigeria as a whole. For NAPTIP, emphasizing that it is better for the agency to curb the menace of human trafficking among the school children who are more vulnerable to traffickers.
He stated further, “So, this STEAP Project we are implementing with ICMPD, this school, Oruchi Comprehensive Secondary School Okpanam was among the 50 schools selected in Delta State to be part of the vanguard clubs inauguration”
“We urge the school community including the school management board committee, teachers, principal, teachers and students to join in combating human trafficking.”
“So far, 27 vanguard clubs have been Inaugurated with the inauguration of students of Oruchi Comprehensive Secondary School Okpanam as members of vanguard club”, Offiah stated.
Ijeoma David-Ukoko, ICMPD STEAP Project Officer, Delta State noted with delight the cooperation of school principals in the anti trafficking Vanguard Clubs inauguration.
David-Ukoko stated,
NAPTIP, ICMPD Inaugurate Anti- trafficking Vanguard Clubs In More Schools In Delta
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, and the International Centre for Migration, Policy Development, ICMPD
have inaugurated anti-trafficking Vanguard Clubs in Asagba Mixed Secondary School, Asaba and Oruchi Comprehensive Secondary School, Amachai, Okpanam in Oshimili North local government area of Delta State.
The vanguard clubs inauguration is part of the Schools Anti-Trafficking Education and Advocacy Project (STEAP )Project funded by the Government of Netherlands, and being implemented by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, and the Delta State Ministry of Education.
The STEAP Project which commenced few years ago is aimed at taking the fight against human trafficking and violence against persons to the school community, involving students, teachers and other critical stakeholders.
The STEAP implementation has impacted positively on the benefiting schools with execution of several projects such as solar installation, provision of furniture, bole hole, and classrooms renovation.
At Asagba Mixed Secondary School, Asaba, the Zonal Commander of NAPTIP Benin Zonal Command in charge of Edo and Delta States, Mr Sam Offiah, sensitized the school children during the morning assembly on trafficking , the dangers associated with it as well as what is expected of the school community in combating the ugly trends.
Mr Offiah who later inaugurated the anti-trafficking and violence against persons Vanguard Club at the school, restated the commitment of his agency to combating human trafficking. He said the essence of the vanguard club was to involve students in the campaign against human trafficking in school communities, considering the fact that young people are vulnerable to trafficking.
He stated, “We all know that traffickers prey on children of school age; the students. That’s the rationale why NAPTIP, as our national mandate, to eliminate the incidence of human trafficking in schools, we deem it wise, with the sponsor of this project, to come to schools to inaugurate these vanguards. And this school is also lucky because out of all the schools in Delta State, this school , Asagba Mixed Secondary School is selected among the 50 schools where the vanguard clubs are being inaugurated. So, your school is a pilot school for this vanguard clubs inauguration. There are other things that are associated with the whole STEAP project which are the school improvement projects”
Mr Offiah urged members of the Anti-Trafficking Vanguard Clubs to help sensitise their peers, parents, and others about the dangers of human trafficking, and to reject any attempt by traffickers to lure them.
The NAPTIP Benin Zonal Commander also sensitised the students on the strategies adopted by traffickers to entice innocent young adults, girls, and boys.
He explained that engaging schools in the fight against human trafficking is part of efforts to reach the grassroots and ensure students are well informed about human trafficking, so they can report red flags to authorities, counsellors, and teachers. He added that NAPTIP responds by rescuing victims and apprehending and prosecuting traffickers.
The ICMPD STEAP Project Officer for Delta State, Ijeoma David-Ukoko gave assurances of the preparedness of ICMPD to support the school children who are members of the vanguard clubs.
David-Ukoko stated further, “For the vanguard club members, you have much work to do. It’s not just enough to wear your anti trafficking T-shirt, you are expected to join in the fight against human trafficking. The ICMPD STEAP Project is here already, and we are ready to support you, and guide you to know the antics traffickers use, and what to do , as well as the pathway of reporting such trafficking. You have trained teachers; you have the vanguard coordinator, you have your principal and other school management that you can go to when you suspect any trafficking issue. If you see something, you say something”.
The Principal of Asagba Mixed Secondary School, Dr Eboka Obiajulu expressed delight over the initiative to inaugurate school children as members of anti trafficking Vanguard Clubs, and also thanked ICMPD and the Government of Netherlands for the renovation of classrooms in the school as part of the school based improvement projects.
A community leader in Asaba, Ogbechi Benjamin Okonkwo gave an assurance that the palace of the Asagba was intensifying efforts to combat human trafficking, and other social vices in Asaba community.
He commended NAPTIP and ICMPD for inaugurating school children as vanguards against human trafficking
Some members of the newly inaugurated NAPTIP Vanguard Club expressed readiness to join the fight against human trafficking in their school communities.
There were goodwill messages from the representative of the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education and the desk officer , Mr Eze Markins, the STEAP project implementing partner as well as the chairman of the school PTA, Mr Omene Osbert.
Meanwhile, thirty students of Oruchi Comprehensive Secondary School, Okpanam have been Inaugurated as members of the anti- trafficking Vanguard Club.
Performing the ceremony, the the NAPTIP Benin Zonal Commander, Mr Sam Offiah said NAPTIP had the general mandate to eliminate the incidence of human trafficking in Nigeria as a whole, emphasizing that for NAPTIP, it is better for the agency to curb the menace of human trafficking among the school children who are more vulnerable to traffickers.
He stated further, “So, this STEAP Project we are implementing with ICMPD, this school, Oruchi Comprehensive Secondary School Okpanam was among the 50 schools selected in Delta State to be part of the vanguard clubs inauguration”
“We urge the school community including the school management committee, teachers, principal, teachers and students to join in combating human trafficking.”
“So far, 27 vanguard clubs have been Inaugurated with the inauguration of students of Oruchi Comprehensive Secondary School Okpanam as members of vanguard club”, Offiah stated.
Ijeoma David-Ukoko, ICMPD STEAP Project Officer, Delta State , noted with delight the cooperation of school principals in the inauguration of the anti trafficking Vanguard Clubs.
“Here at Oruchi Comprehensive Secondary School Okpanam, the school is a STEAP school that has enjoyed interventions through the School Intervention Programme (SIP), trainings for the subject teachers, training for the vanguard coordinators as well as training for the School Management Committee/PTA. This is a school that is already aware, and has carried out outreaches against trafficking in the past. We are also grateful for having the support of the ministry of education that is helping in institutionalizing the vanguard clubs. ICMP is saying “No to human trafficking” The vanguard club is a peer to peer organisation. There is a perfect, effective and easily accessible referral pathways for the students to report any suspicious case of human trafficking within and outside their school community”, David-Ukoko stated.
Others who spoke at the Oruchi Comprehensive Secondary School Okpanam included the Principal, Mrs Oshobor Promise, and the Delta State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education Desk Officer, Mr Eze Markins, affirming commitment to the success of the STEAP Project through the instrumentality of the anti- trafficking vanguards in school.
Highlights of the vanguard clubs inauguration included presentation of anti trafficking materials such as handbooks on Standard Operation Procedure, bags and T-shirts to members of the vanguard clubs.
