Returnees from Libya reject N1,000 transport fare, says money is too small
Nigerian migrants recently repatriated from Libya on Wednesday
protested against the N1,000 transport fare allegedly given to them by
the Edo State Government.
Over 900 returnees have been received by the state government at a temporary shelter in Benin since January 8, 2018.
Some of the returnees, who were moved to Benin after their arrival in
Port Harcourt, Rivers State, were seen grumbling about the amount,
which they claimed was too small to take them home.
They lamented that their colleagues who were moved to Benin from
Lagos State got over N40,000, while those from the Port Harcourt centre
were allegedly told that they would be catered for by the Edo State
Government.
The angry returnees also threatened to stage a peaceful protest at
the Palace of Oba of Benin and the Government House but were dissuaded
by some security personnel who intervened.
One of the returnees, Joyce Richard, lamented that the amount was
inadequate to take her to her hometown in Orhionmwon Local Government
Area. She, therefore, appealed to the state government to increase the
allowance.
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It was, however, learnt that the development compelled the government to later increase the amount to N5,000.
Reacting, the Chairman of the state Task Force on Anti-Hhuman
Trafficking, Prof. Yinka Omorogbe, blamed the protest on misinformation.
Omorogbe, who is also the Attorney-General and Commissioner for
Justice, explained that those who were received from Lagos came on a
different arrangement.
According to her, the Lagos batch was provided with the sum of
N41,000 on arrival by the European Union, through the International
Organisation for Migration.
She also confirmed that the Port Harcourt batch had yet to be
provided with any allowance, even as she added that the state had a
stipend of N20,000 each for the returnees for three months.
While describing the protest as unexpected, Omorogbe said that the
N5,000 was approved by the state government to enable them to get to
their various destinations.
According to her, “What we have been able to do now is because of the
proactive nature of the state government because no amount has actually
been approved to be given to returnees at this stage.
“This amount (N5,000) is not a stipend but a realisation that the government is determined to make it (intervention) succeed.
“You cannot expect people to trek to their various homes, as many of
them do not live in Benin. As such, we were directed to make a provision
for the N5,000 transport fare that was not there before now.”
Source: PUNCH
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