By Patience Dajuma
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, is leading Nigerian delegation to Italy to discuss women empowerment and the fight against human trafficking, a statement from his office has said.
The visit is sequel to the death of 26 Nigerian women in the Mediterranean Sea while trying to cross to Europe.
The statement further reads: ”The Italian government had extended invitation to the Speaker to attend an international conference on “Women empowerment and the fight against trafficking in persons. The Partnership between Nigeria and Italy” which will take place in Rome.
“The journey is also a reciprocation of the official visit of the President of Italian Chamber of Deputies, Ms. Laura Boldrini, to the Speaker in May 2017.
“Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki and Director-General of National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Ms Julie Okah-Donli, among others are also in the delegation .
“The Nigerian delegation are billed to attend the conference on the invitation of the Italian Parliament who are seeking partnership with Nigeria to stem human trafficking especially the increasing number of Nigerian citizens that enter Italy every year.
“During her visit to Speaker Dogara, in May this year, Laura Boldrini, had lamented that in 2016 alone, 37,000 Nigerians arrived in Italy through the Mediterranean Sea. The conference also seeks ways of empowering Nigerian women to stop the illegal and dangerous migration of Nigerians to Europe.”
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