Advertisement

Lack of Job Opportunities and Emigration Have “a clear connection”: Cameroonian Bishop

Bishop Bruno Ateba of the Catholic Diocese of Maroua-Mokolo in Cameroon. Credit: ACN

Bishop Bruno Ateba of the Catholic Diocese of Maroua-Mokolo in Cameroon has attributed the phenomenon of emigration of Africans to other countries to lack of job opportunities in their respective countries. 

In a Wednesday, October 11 report following an interview with tells the Catholic Pontifical and charity foundation, Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) International, Bishop Ateba advocated for the creation of employment opportunities in Africa to avert challenges related to illegal migration.

“If people were to have access to jobs and economic opportunities in their countries of origin, they would not feel the urge to emigrate. There is a clear connection between the reality of displaced people, emigration, and the lack of a stable future,” the Cameroonian Catholic Bishop is quoted as saying.

He says many youths “feel obliged to leave due to lack of opportunities”, and that “if we want to change this, we have to find a sustainable solution to stop the exodus of our young people.”

The Cameroonian member of the Society of the Catholic Apostolate (SAC), also known as the Pallottines, further says, “We mustn’t forget that Africa has a very young population, and there are many of them. Young people represent tremendous potential for our continent, but only if we can give them the tools and opportunities required to prosper.”

Advertisement

“If Europe cooperated with job creation in our countries, we would not have the problem we are currently facing at a global level,” he says, and goes on to call on the international community to support development initiatives in Africa.

The 58-year-old Catholic Bishop, who started his Episcopal Ministry in May 2014 speaks about an ACN-funded initiative at the Minawao refugee camp, which hosts 80,000 refugees who fled the Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria, saying the project is helping young people earn a living.

Through the initiative, he explains, refugees acquire skills such as repairing shoes, computers, and/or sewing, which allows them to find work to make a living.

“The Church and organizations such as ACN continue to play a crucial role in supporting and helping those who are directly affected by the security and migratory crisis, but the cooperation of governments and the international community is essential to face these challenges and find long-term solutions,” says Bishop Ateba.

Magdalene Kahiu is a Kenyan journalist with passion in Church communication. She holds a Degree in Social Communications from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA). Currently, she works as a journalist for ACI Africa.