It has turn into a fad amongst younger West Africans, expert and never expert alike, emigrate to economically extra developed nations seeking the fabled greener pasture. Typically, they comply with hazardous routes within the deserts of North Africa and the Mediterranean Sea. This disturbing phenomenon has intensified through the years, triggered by myriad crises, particularly political, financial and social, that beset the area.
There have been efforts up to now to tame this ugly development, however the issue retains rising because the subregional authorities hardly resolve the foundation causes of the disaster. Most of those youths declare to be Nigerians, particularly as impersonation of the nation by questionable characters makes the authentication of this declare a job.
Lately, the Parliament of the Financial Neighborhood of West African States (ECOWAS) rose to the event, with regional lawmakers expressing their concern over the difficulty and mapping out methods to halt the development. This was the crux of dialogue on the ongoing First Strange Session of the ECOWAS Parliament 2024, presided over by the Speaker, Hon. Memounatou Ibrahima, in Abuja, as Members of Parliament brainstormed on potential methods to spend money on the ability and capability of West African youths and discover their potential for the good thing about the subregion.
Based on the Worldwide Organisation for Migration (IOM) the harmful journeys undertaken by migrants expose them to quite a few dangers, together with human trafficking, exploitation, and demise. IOM recorded an estimated 5,000 migrant deaths in 2023 alone. It mentioned additional that whereas migrants contribute to cultural change and variety in host nations, in addition they face important challenges by way of integration, discrimination, and authorized hurdles of their vacation spot nations.
Regardless of the risks, irregular migration in direction of North Africa and Europe persists. The IOM reported in 2023 that an estimated 300,000 West African migrants use perilous routes by means of the Sahara Desert and throughout the Mediterranean Sea yearly.
Based on the World Financial institution, this surge is brought on by excessive youth unemployment charges, which stand at a median of 12.8 % throughout West Africa. The Nationwide Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported a 19.6 % youth unemployment price in 2023. Additionally, the seek for greater training and vocational coaching that aren’t available in dwelling nations motivates many West African youth emigrate to Europe and North America, based on the UNDP in 2021.
It has, subsequently, turn into incumbent on the West African leaders to current structured developmental methods to construct the area’s economic system and improve political stability. In our opinion, there should be absolute political will on what must be carried out on financial growth, job creation and battle decision. We consider {that a} complete growth of the stable mineral sector by means of worth addition and funding in agricultural potential of the area will scale back the issue.
Additionally, poor governance coupled with corruption in excessive locations has continued to decrease alternatives within the area. We consider that electoral corruption has compounded the disaster, because the area is now replete with leaders who aren’t accountable to the individuals, leading to large poverty regardless of the ample sources within the area.
Regional governments can present coaching, entry to finance, and mentorship to encourage younger individuals to start out their very own companies. Funding in training and expertise growth and coaching programmes aligned with market wants must be made to assist younger individuals purchase the talents wanted to entry job alternatives in rising sectors.
Equally, investing in sectors equivalent to know-how, renewable power, and manufacturing has turn into crucial to create new job alternatives for younger individuals. Deliberate efforts should even be made to spice up Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) as a significant supply of employment. We additionally advocate bettering infrastructure, equivalent to transportation, power, and telecommunications, to create jobs within the development and upkeep sectors.
Above all, the regional bloc should make extra efforts to resolve conflicts and promote peace and stability whereas leveraging the alternatives offered by the digital economic system, equivalent to e-commerce, digital companies, and on-line platforms.
The Nigerian authorities must implement insurance policies and programmes to successfully halt the development of well-trained professionals leaving the nation. In our opinion, the mind drain will not be good for a rustic that spent enormous sources to coach this crop of manpower solely to lose them to different nations.
What’s required is a change of angle on the a part of the governing class that sees nothing unsuitable with the present push by in any other case its brightest and the very best to look elsewhere for technique of sustenance.
West África is wealthy in human and materials sources and there’s no want for its youths to be determined to desert the area for jobs which may not be out there overseas.
