As the world observes the birthday of Jesus Christ, the Journalists International Forum For Migration, JIFORM, has felicitated with the Christians and called on nations to also extend divine love at this yuletide to the 272 million migrants as recorded by the United Nations.
The global media foundation with over 250 members focusing on migration reportage pleaded with the developed nations to stop playing lips services to the UN resolutions on rights of migrants particularly during the ravaging pandemic by allowing them to access health care facilities and other privileges saying “they are the heroes of the Coronavirus season taking the lead in health, food and care giver sectors globally.”
JIFORM praised the Christians for holding onto to their belief that: “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” as documented in the holy bible’s Isaiah 9 verse 6.
A statement signed by the President of JIFORM, Ajibola Abayomi on Friday admonished residents in nations to express love to one another.
“Today there are 272 million migrants living in varied conditions expanding the global economy and helping to build new communities, there is need for nations to appreciate this and show more tolerance towards them irrespective of their perceived shortcomings.
“We equally want to use this opportunity to appeal to governments especially in Africa to address social economic factors fuelling desperate migration from the continent such as unemployment, incessant increase of tariff, infrastructure decay, political hostilities and other harsh policies taking food away from the table of the citizens.
“There is need for sober reflection by the leaders as about 3,101 migrants died globally in 2020 while trying to reach different international destinations through irregular routes, 1,483 of them were Africans. If they were comfortable back home that would not happen.
“Going forward African leaders must show more commitment towards the well-being of their people. They should be humbled by the sincerity and compassion of Christ towards humanity and fix the economy so that their people won’t continue to fall prey to slavery in the foreign land”, he said.
Ajibola lauded the efforts of the International Organization for Migration, (IOM)’s voluntary return programme aimed at reuniting stranded migrants with their families across the world and urged African leaders to truly empower the returnees and the youths in order to complete the rehabilitation process.
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