Africa-Press – Liberia. The International Organization on Migration Liberia, through its Migrants As Messenger (MAM) program, has ended a week-long massive awareness against irregular migration on the need to safely travel.
The awareness which climaxed with a debate and quizzing competition held at the YMCA Gymnasium in Monrovia, broth together various high schools; presenting arguments on the importance of acquiring relevant documents before traveling.
The awareness is a part of Migrants As Messengers Caravan 2021, using sports, entertainment and community engagements, among others to disseminate information among Liberians; mostly the youthful population on making informed decisions on traveling.
On Tuesday, November 23, MAM carried out similar awareness on safe travel in the populated New Kru Town for residents and held similar at the Monrovia City Hall for High School students.
At the closed of the week-long awareness, IOM-Liberia Country Representative Mohammed Diallo called on Liberians to begin an awareness process on safe migration and the danger of irregular migration at their various homes, schools, and community levels.
According to Diallo, the involvement of every citizen is important in the fight to discourage irregular migration. At the same time, Diallo reiterated that those involved with irregular traveling are constantly found doing so because they were not informed of the danger of irregular traveling poses to them.
He said if young people are provided the rightful information to desist irregular migration, and how to use the proper channel, it would put them on track during the migration process.
The IMO Country Representative also used the occasions to call on citizens to take advantage of West Africa Free Migration and ECOWAS Protocol, which he believes is an easy way to travel properly.
The ECOWAS Protocol on the Free Movement of People and Goods ensures free mobility of citizens of member states. However, it also allowed member states the right to refuse admission to any Community citizens who were inadmissible under the member state’s domestic law.
Thursday, the event brought to an end several other activities being carried out by MAM within various communities in Monrovia and its environs. At the start of the week, the International Organization on Migration Liberia, through its MAM program embarked on massive awareness activities against irregular migration and the need to travel safely, through a sports tournament and beach jamboree in Monrovia.
The Caravan 2021 brought together disadvantaged youths who are reportedly among the numbers of people seeking opportunities for better livelihood abroad.
The tournament which featured several communities in Monrovia was held on Sunday, November 21. Youth and Sports Minister D. Zeogar Wilson, at the start of the event which officially kickoffs on Saturday, November 20, encouraged citizens to use the rightful medium to travel, instead of using irregular means.
“Youths form a part of the majority of those who traveled irregularly and it is informed that such an occasion is organized to have them informed,” Minister Wilson noted. Meanwhile, IOM-MAM wants Liberians to take the issue of Migration seriously and discourage irregular migration among
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