The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the management of FCT Women Rehabilitation Centre, located at Sabo-Lugbe in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).
Mr Austine Elemue, Special Assistant on Media to the FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Aliyu, said in a statement on Sunday, the News Agency of Nigeria reported.
Aliyu, who urged both parties to respect the terms and conditions spelt out in the document, said the centre would be managed by NAPTIP for a period of two years.
Commending on the doggedness of Dame Julie Okah-Donli, Director -General of NAPTIP, in the battle against trafficking in persons, she stressed the need for collaboration and synergy between relevant agencies in the fight against human trafficking in the country.
“I want to appreciate our sister, the Director General of NAPTIP, who is always there for the plight of the vulnerable women and youths, and anything against their fundamental human rights.
“She goes out of her comfort zone to ensure that none is maligned in the society, today’s event has demonstrated her zeal to look for more decent accommodation for vulnerable women.”
“These are all the giant strides of a leader and we appreciate you and your team. Hopefully and sincerely, under two -years period, all that is written here is legally binding on both parties.
“And as the one charged with the responsibility to oversee the signing of this document, I sincerely hope that today will mark the beginning of many beautiful things to come,” the minister added.
Aliyu also urged the management of NAPTIP to ensure that the facility becomes a point to reckon with in the management of vulnerable women and youths.
The minister assured that the facility would provide the needed shelter for those in need.
In a remark, the Director General of NAPTIP, Okah-Donli, also commended the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello and FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Aliyu, for their support in matters relating to trafficking in persons and other related offences.
She assured the FCT Administration that the collaboration between the two parties would yield positive results, adding that the centre would be a beckon of women rehabilitation and empowerment.
“You have been very supportive to our agency, I want to assure you of this existing synergy and collaboration between my agency and FCTA, it is going to be bigger and better and we are not going to take it for granted.
“I also want to thank you for giving us the opportunity of getting to this stage of signing an MoU.
“Thank you for giving us a facility where women will be rehabilitated and empowered, where children of victims of trafficking, victims of sexual and gender based violence will be empowered and rehabilitated.
“Thank you so much because it is going to be a joint collaboration between FCTA and NAPTIP. I can assure you that we are going to make good use of the facility,” she added.
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