Owners of seized PVC, NIMC cards are not irregular Migrant – Ngige

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige says claims in some quarters that owners of the 6,216 national identity cards and voters cards seized by the Nigerian Immigration Service last week are irregular migrants is untrue that they are criminals.

The Minister clarified that in line with international Labour migration policy, both regular and irregular migrants need to be supported by country of destination.

Ngige said unfortunately the persons who the Immigration Service accosted with the PVCs and National identity cards, have no irregular migrants status and remain criminals.

The Minister, in a message delivered by the Director Employment and Wages, Nyanmali John, at a stakeholders sensitization workshop on revised national policy on Labour migration in Nigeria, insists that Nigerians leaving the country in the name of “japa” must acquaint themselves with Labour migration laws on pre-departure, post-arrival and integration, not to suffer unduly for ignorance.

For the international Labour organisation, Nigeria needs to work in tandem with the global community in Labour Migration laws to ensure adequate protection of migrant workers from country of origin to country of destination

The three day workshop is expected to produce a draft of the revised national policy on Labour migration, which was last reviewed in 2019.