By Irechukwu Okere
It was nothing short of serious academic exercise, as professionals and academics from different institutions gathered on Thursday, November 27 to brainstorm better ways of reintegrating returned migrants, under the auspices of GAPS, at Owerri, the Imo State capital.
One of the resource persons at the workshop, Dr. Ngozi Uzomah of the University of Nigeria Nsuka, stated that the event aims at providing solutions and answers to migration issues, as regards reintegration of returned migrants.
"As it is, GAPs aims to identify the gaps; hearing from stakeholders and the concerned individuals themselves," said Dr. Uzomah.
Also speaking at the event, Professor Ignatius Madu, reiterated that the exercise is part of European Union's policies on migration, returns, among other issues bothering on migration. He informed that investigatigators are drawn from different countries and disciplines, across 17 institutions in over eleven countries, including Nigeria.
According to the university don, GAPs aims at applying decentering approach from three different dimensions, including return migration infrastructures to reveal governance gaps, return migration diplomacy to examine how EU - third world countries relations, shape cooperation and to set a trajectory perspective that uses socio-spatial and temporal analysis to understand migrant agency.
According to the findings of research led by Dr. Uzomah, as unveiled during the think-tank exercise, many Nigerian migrants are returned to places other than their origins, stalling reintegration.
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Also, Professor Chukwuedozie Ajaero and Mr. Jeto Nwadi pinpointed the discoveries that have been made on gaps, following data collection in Owerri. In their separate presentations, they found reintegration of migrants in non-resident areas and lack of community reintegration, as gaps.
As part of solution, they both submitted that instead of deportation, special centres can be created to accommodate migrants. It was also suggested that returned migrants should be adequately empowered, financially or otherwise, to enable a successful reintegration process. Also, they informed that proper reintegration happens at the returnees communities of origin or any other area, as preferred by the returned migrants.
The group assured that the reports will be submitted to the European Union for modification of policies, working on unimplemented policies, removal of ineffective policies, as well as retrenching of policies that affect dignity of migrants.
The event which was attended by academics, traditional rulers, psycho-social and medical practitioners, featured reflections on return experiences and reintegration processes, presentations from various groups, remarks, media engagements, among others.
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