The zonal commander of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Mrs Nneka Ajie, today paid the DG, Imo State Consumer protection council, Hon Mrs Obioma Okafor an unscheduled visit in her office in Owerri, imo state capital. You may recall that NAPTIP and NEPAD offices are in the same building with CPC, at Area P, adjacent ISOPADEC office new Owerri, imo State.
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) is a law enforcement agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria, founded in 2003 in order to combat human trafficking and other similar human rights violations.
However, Mrs Nneka used the opportunity to commend Hon. Obioma’s led CPC for ensuring effective Consumer protection in imo State and promised to improve synergy and collaboration with CPC in order to completely make southeast a trafficking free zone.
Mrs Nneka Ajie went further to express confidence in the leadership qualities of Mrs Okafor as the DG CPC, requesting the DG to join forces with NAPTIP to wage serious war against human trafficking, here in imo State and south east in general.
Acknowledging the positive impact of CPC in the protection of citizens in the state and beyond, the NAPTIP zonal commander said “though the state is not completely free from fake products and abuse of Consumers rights. Therefore, It is important to note that the narrative has changed tremendously under the present dispensation, imo is no longer where it used to be in terms of ranking, there has been a fundamental change in approach and underlying assumptions of the activities of CPC in imo state”.
Similarly, the Director General imo State consumer protection council, Mrs Obioma Okafor was overwhelmed with joy for such an August visit in the month of September. She lauded the NAPTIP zonal commander’s clamour for partnership and close working relationship with CPC, asserting that no agency of the government can satisfactorily fulfill its mandates alone without collaborating with another agency or relevant stakeholders. So, it’s nesassary to work together to achieve our set goals and objectives. She reiterated.
The DG emphasized on the need for NAPTIP to get to the grassroots. According to her, human trafficking and exploitation are more pronounced in the remote areas, noting that more information and awareness at the grassroots would help to reduce the tendency of the parents giving out their children for house helps at very tender age that exposes them to all forms of child labour and abuse in the hands of their master or mistress.
She told the visiting zonal commander that experience has taught her that lack of information or awareness is the major problem facing citizens in this country, stressing that they don’t even know they have rights or even what those rights are. “So one important area that NAPTIP will join forces with CPC to make imolites and Nigerians understand their rights is to embark on extensive sensitization and awareness campaign.”
Even if you can not fight for them, let them know what there rights are, and ones they know their rights, they will go all out to fight for these rights.
This was my first discovery, when I assumed office newly, which made me to invest so much energy and resources in public enlightenment programmes, such as radio jingles, road shows, community visitations, town hall meetings as well as establishing young consumer/debeting clubs in some secondary schools in imo State. “I am very optimistic that before the end of Gov. Hope Uzodimma’s administration in imo State, imo will reclaim her pride of place in the commity of other states in Nigeria as the most peaceful state in Nigeria.” She said.
Again, as a way of boosting the operations of the agency, CPC under my watch, are in partnership with so many agencies, stakeholders and working in collaboration with security organizations in the state. Our desire is to infiltrate all parts of the state in order to outsmart the fakers and beat them to their tricks.
Joining the zonal commander of NAPTIP, Mrs Nneka Ajie in the visit are Mr Ernest Ogbu, the imo State commander, NAPTIP and Mr. Dominic Okpor, the HOD APRM AUDA-NEPAD Imo state.
*Nwosu Nicholas Tochi,* *SA on media to the DG* *CPC imo State.*
*#3R#*
