By Michael Oche
Migrant workers’ issues are not being given the required attention by candidates seeking political offices in Nigeria as the country prepares for its presidential election in 2023.
Officially, political campaigns which allow political parties and their candidates to campaign openly begin next month. Still, many candidates who have made Television appearances have not spoken about their plans for the migrants’ community, especially those living and working outside the nation’s shores. The Diaspora as a related constituency has also not enjoyed the necessary attention as desired.
According to the World Bank’s Migration and Development Brief released in March 2022, Diaspora remittance to Nigeria rose by 11.2 per cent in 2021 to $19.2bn from the $17.21bn recorded in 2020. The figure was the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), which recorded a 14.1 per cent leap to $49bn.
In 2021, amidst the Foreign exchange crisis, the government, through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), turned to the Diaspora community with the naira-for-dollar scheme. With the scheme, diaspora remittance recipients are rewarded with an extra N5 for every dollar wired through the official routes. The incentive was introduced to shore up remittances (forex) and discourage the use of informal windows.
Yet, trade union leaders often lament the neglect of migrant workers by the government. Recent data has indicated that Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states and the larger Middle East represent new corridors where many Nigerian migrant workers find work even under the harshest conditions.
The Federal government is yet to sign any Bilateral agreements with any of the countries in the GCC to protect its workers.
Comrade James Eustace, the Migration Desk Officer at the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), said politicians aspiring for political offices in the 2023 election must make migration an integral part of their campaigns.
He said, “Migration has become a critical issue and a global phenomenon that our politicians cannot afford not to discuss. Leaders of many developed countries have used Migration as a significant issue for campaigns and electioneering, even though they are regarded as populist governments. But migration is a critical and integral part of development that must be discussed. And Nigerian politicians aspiring to lead the country from 2023 must present a plan of what they hold for the country in the area of migration.
“Either to prevent brain drain or resource drain because of desperate journeys, because of the outflows of Nigerian professionals going abroad that could have contributed to the economic development of Nigeria. Also, as how to attract Nigerian migrants abroad to come home and contribute to the country’s development. And also, how do we better protect migrant workers in Nigeria and Nigerian migrants abroad? We must consider engaging in bilateral collaboration and cooperation to promote regular migration.
“Our politicians must present a plan of what they hold for Nigeria in the area of migration management and governance that would help to promote safe, orderly and regular migration.
“Our politicians must take a clue from politicians of developed countries that have ensured that better management of migration become an attractive agenda for the working people to support their idea of ascending to government, and the trade unions must be active in the debate and discussion on the issue of better governance and how it affects migrant workers and promote safe and regular migration.”
Other trade unionists noted that it is equally critical that “push and forced” factors of migration are effectively dealt with.
