QNET, a direct-selling company that specializes in lifestyle and wellness, has started a public awareness campaign called "Say NO" to warn people about the risks of phoney employment offers that con artists use to trick people into being victims of human trafficking.
The program aims to provide people with the information and understanding needed to recognize and steer clear of these types of scams. This is vital because con artists have exploited respectable organizations like QNET, Coca-Cola, and even the West African Development Bank (BOAD) by falsely claiming to be offering employment that never existed.
QNET's Regional General Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa, Mr Biram Fall, highlights the negative effects of human trafficking on both individuals and communities.
He states, “We believe the private sector should support efforts to combat this vice. The ‘Say NO’ campaign empowers communities to say no to traffickers who want to steal their future.”
The U.S. Department of State's Trafficking in Persons Report places Nigeria on Tier 2, indicating the country's noteworthy efforts to battle human trafficking. This indicates that the number of victims of human trafficking has increased, from 935 to 1,634 in 2023.
The managing director of QNET's Nigerian partner, Transblue Limited, Mr. Akeem Ajisafe, notes the government's commitment and stresses the campaign's role in enhancing these efforts.
He states, “The Say NO campaign aims to educate the youth in Nigeria on recognizing and avoiding fraudulent job offers. Empowering the younger generation is essential in fortifying our collective stand against human trafficking.”
Burkina Faso, Nigeria, and Senegal will be the first nations to adopt the initiative. To spread awareness in communities—especially in areas susceptible to bogus job scams—it will make use of radio, billboards, booklets, and other initiatives.
To stop its platform from being abused for fraudulent purposes, QNET has taken aggressive steps. This entails using technology for consumer identification, confirming paperwork, and firing staff members who disobey the company's code of conduct. QNET shows its dedication to social responsibility and the fight against human trafficking by initiating the "Say NO" campaign and taking provocative action.
The effectiveness of the campaign is largely dependent on community involvement and education, which gives people the power to protect themselves from exploitation and make educated decisions.
