The Chairman of Fiscal Responsibility Commission, Victor Muruako Esq. has implored the National Prohibition of Trafficking In Persons (NAPTIP) to comply with the provisions of Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007 in the remittance of operating surplus into the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) in order to boost the revenue of the Federal government which continues to be on the decline.
He made this remark recently when the Director General of NAPTIP, Fatima Waziri-Azi visited the Commission as part of inter-agency collaboration of the MDAs.
Muruako noted that the independent revenue generation drive of the Federal government needs to be improved for the government to meet its obligations in the delivery of public goods in terms of projects that would impact positively on Nigerians.
The Chairman commended NAPTIP for its giant stride in curbing human trafficking and prostitution saying that the Commission appreciates the good works of the Agency and the hurdles it has been facing in order to achieve its objectives.
In her response, NAPTIP DG,Dr.Fatima Waziri-Azi expressed her gratitude for the warm reception accorded her at the Commission stating that if other government Agencies could have the enthusiasm of FRC’s Chief Executive, it would be easier to work towards a common goal to make Nigeria a better country.
The DG who was appointed last September said the Agency was established in 2003 by the Federal government to fight traffic in person with power of law enforcement to arrest and detain those who traffic in person, force prostitution, slavery and domestic help.
She however pointed out that the enormity of the work is too much for the Agency to bear alone hence its collaboration with other security agencies like Nigerian Police Force, Department of State Security, National Intelligence Agency, Nigerian Immigration Service and other relevant government agencies.
Waziri-Azi opined that traffic in person is now a humanitarian crises adding that over 20,000 Nigerians are trapped in Mali and 95% of them are in force prostitution while India, Libya, Cyprus and Ivory Coast are prostitution destinations.
The DG said NAPTIP would continue to restore the dignity of Nigerians in human trafficking and warned Nigerians to be wary of job offerings outside Nigeria that are not verifiable in order to avoid modern day slavery.