Body Completes Multi-million Naira Skills Acquisition Centre for Youths

By Chinedu Eze

The Global Initiative against Illegal Migration (GLAIM), a non–profit making organisation focused on fighting illegal migration, has completed a multimillion naira skills acquisition, information and communications technology centre in Edo State.
The non-governmental organisation, in a statement at the weekend, said the centre was established to train youths, widows and returnees/victims of illegal migration and human trafficking in various skills including ICT expertise.
The organisation said the development would make it to develop youths that are not only ICT compliant but professionals with ability to design websites, repair computers hardware, develop computer software and apps, among other skills.

The Executive Director, GIAIM, Barrister Emmanuel Osime Obinyan, the founder of the initiative, said the centre would enable the organisation to empower youths with vocational skills for self-development and self-dependency, as an antidote against illegal migration.
According to him, GIAIM has a plan to train at least 500 youths over the next two years, and it is focused on its goals of providing free computer training for every youth, empowering them through its various empowerment schemes.
“Our vision is to train and empower them to start their own business. This will discourage the returnees from travelling back abroad. Our ICT department is fully equipped with adequate personnel and facilities to enhance learning and knowledge acquisition,” Obinyan said.
GLAIM was incorporated under Part (C) of the Companies and Allied Matters Act of 2004 and it was born out of the desire to compliment efforts by government and good intentioned individuals to fight the scourge called “illegal migration”.
Obinyan said its vision was to have a Nigeria with hope alive, where every youth would be empowered.
To support the eradication of illegal migration and human trafficking, the NGO said it believes in empowering the youth population, in order to stop crimes.
On why the skills acquisition/ICT centre was established in Edo State, the GIAIM ED, Obinyan, said, “We chose Edo State as our launching pad because our research has shown that the activities of illegal migration and human trafficking are rampant in this area. From Edo State, we will launch to other states of the federation.”

On the body’s core values, Obinyan said, “All our activities are based on inherent dignity and potential of Nigerian youths, who are the targets of human traffickers/illegal migration. We consistently uphold honesty and transparency in all we do and say, maintaining a high standard set for ourselves to achieve our ultimate goal. We work diligently and effectively to achieve our vision and goal. We collaborate with relevant government institutions, likeminded civil societies and international organizations.
According to GIAIM, illegal migration as of today has silently claimed the lives of the working –age Africa youths in their attempt to seek better opportunities across the Mediterranean Sea.

“These trips are usually through the desert or by rickety canoe across the Mediterranean, thousands have died during these journeys, while those fortunate to make it, ends up in refugee camps or better still discovers that the so called better opportunities in reality do not exist. Returning to the sending countries is always a problem because the receiving countries are sometimes not willing to bear such cost. Very evident is the fact that European countries will not give a home to those who entered illegally,” he explained.