By Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
The Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) has expressed
worries over the death of its citizens in the Mediterranean Sea caused by
irregular migration by its citizens. They attributed the cause of the irregular
migration of its citizens to the foreign countries by the high rate of
unemployment in the region. It could be recalled in the last few years the
community has recorded numerous deaths of its citizens in the Mediterranean
Sea looking for greener pastures abroad.
Speaking at the Opening Session of the Delocalized Meeting of the Joint
Committee on Communications and Information Technology, Education , Science and Technology, Labour, Employment , Youth, Sports and Culture , the
Head of Guinea Delegation of ECOWAS Parliament and Co-Chair of the Joint
Committee, Hon. Alpha Souleymane Bah Fischer said the community would deal
with the challenge. He said,” the important of this meeting cannot be
overemphasized as it will address the challenges of unemployment facing our
region. Some of our citizens have died in the Mediterranean Sea due to irregular
migration. This is the reason why some of them are fleeing to the west.
“This meeting will deal with job creation and training of our youth so that they
can overcome the temptation of being trapped in the Mediterranean Sea,” he
said. He said the meeting will also equip the Parliamentary members play a
major role in job creation in the region. “This meeting will advocate and
promote skills acquisition of youths to enable them stay in their countries
rather than venture into illegal migration,” he said.
Fischer assures that the objectives of the meeting will be actualized. He
commended UNIDO for its collaboration efforts for the development of the
region. The Speaker, National Assembly of Guinea, Claude Kory Kondiano, said
the meeting was apt as the issues of unemployment have dealt a blow to the
region. He said the nation of Guinea was happy that the meeting is holding in the
country adding that it will join in the implementation of decisions reached in the
meeting.
Also speaking, Guinea Minister of Cooperation, Dr. Diene Keita, said the high
rate of unemployment is a major concern in the region while calling on the
ECOWAS lawmakers to tackle menace through their deliberations.