The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has called on its members to reduce poverty in their individual countries as a strategy to tackle human trafficking.

ECOWAS gave the charge during the opening session of the 17th Annual Review Meeting of the ECOWAS Regional Network of National Focal Institutions against Trafficking in Persons Plus (RNNI-TIP+) on Monday in Lagos.

In his welcome address, the chairman of the meeting, Dehunge Shiaka, a representative of the Government of the Republic of Sierra Leone, identified poverty as one of the factors aiding human trafficking.

Mr Shiaka, also the executive director of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Agency in Sierra Leone, urged West African countries to ensure sustainable efforts to reduce poverty among the populace.

He called on ECOWAS member states to encourage cooperation to tackle human trafficking in the region.

“There is the ECOWAS Mutual Assistance Protocol. If we are able to implement that fully, we can really ensure that member countries are able to work together to detect trafficking in persons in their various countries.

“Member states should educate their populations about measures they could take to protect themselves, especially those vulnerable groups and persons, from falling into the trap of traffickers.

“These are some of the measures we need to take, including really providing assistance, direct assistance, to protect victims of trafficking,” he said.

He added that member states should enhance their capacities to tackle poverty at both the micro and macro levels.

Olatunde Olayemi, the Representative of the Director of Humanitarian and Social Affairs at ECOWAS, described poverty as a developmental issue.

Mr Olayemi said that every ECOWAS member state had its national development plan and was working on implementing it to curb poverty and human trafficking.

“ECOWAS has had a declaration by heads of state since the year 2001 and has had several plans of action to which member states have committed to implementing.

“The current plan of action will continue till 2027,” he said.

According to him, ECOWAS has continued to support member states in working in a coordinated manner to address issues of mutual interest.

Mr Olayemi said the annual meeting was to measure the level of implementation of the regional plan at the national level.

Josiah Emerole, the Director of Intelligence/Research and Programme Development at the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in Nigeria, stated that there is a need for concrete actions to reduce poverty in West Africa.

Mr Emerole said that acquiring simple skills, such as baking and vulcanising, could help families and liberate them from poverty.

He called for a focus on practical measures to address hunger and poverty in West Africa.

Twelve ECOWAS member states were represented on the first day of the five-day meeting.

They are Nigeria, Ghana, Benin, Togo, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cote D’Ivoire, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, and Cabo Verde.