Monitoring and evaluation is key to improving learning and gauging development activities. It is against this backdrop that the Network of Migration Research on Africa (NOMRA) in partnership with the International Organisation on Migration (IOM) and the European Union, on Thursday, held a one-day follow-up dialogue on migration reporting to develop the skills of journalists.

Last year, NOMRA held  a two-day workshop of similar interest to intimate Journalists on National Migration Policy, migration and national security issues as well as closing the gap that has remained visible in migration reporting in Nigeria.

This time around, the focus was central on how to go about reporting migration issues as well the best international practice on covering and reporting migration . Other areas of focus include emerging issues from the 2015 Valletta summit on migration and action plan, linking the National Migration Policy plan of action to the Valletta summit action plan as well as the challenges and opportunities for enhance reporting on migration.

The workshop which was well-attended by Journalists from the print and online media saw participants deliberate extensively on story ideas that could be covered in migration reporting. Some of the participants also shared their experience on what they have been able to do on migration reporting since the last workshop held in October.

Addressing Journalists at the workshop, NOMRA Coordinator, Professor Aderanti Adepoju at the seminar called for increased media role in accurate reportage on migration issues. He urged Journalists to dedicate more time to reporting migration issues without undermining the essence of accurate reporting.

Representative of the IOM, Mr Tunde Omoyeni promised that his organisation will provide the necessary support to Journalists if they need assistance in covering migration stories.

Ms Aisha Muhammed, the representative from the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) also urged Journalists to do more investigative reports on migration, especially those that concerns the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the northern part of Nigeria.