Statelessness when addressed would go a long way toward realising the Sustainable Development Goals and fostering of national development, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Bashir Alkali, said.
Alkali stated this in a keynote address at a one-day sensitisation workshop on ‘National Action Plan’ to end statelessness in Nigeria, organised in collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Alkali, who was represented by the Director of Humanitarian Services, Ali Grema, said, “It is an important moment to put in place strategies and procedures to ensure that those who are entitled to Nigerian citizenship, but lack the evidence to show their connection are enabled to verify their citizenship.
“The Government of Nigeria recognises the importance and urgency of obtaining concrete information on the causes of statelessness and scope of stateless persons in Nigeria.”
Speaking, the Senior Protection Officer at the UNHCR, Mwihaki Kinyaju, said addressing statelessness could only be achieved through collaboration among relevant stakeholders.
Kinyanju noted that the three objectives of the national action plan to end statelessness included working with states, better identification and protection and prevention.
“We look forward to collaboration with the federal government and relevant stakeholders to ensure that the issue of statelessness is resolved,” Kinyanju said.
