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| Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru |
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| David Cameroun |
House says it's
unacceptable
Damilola Oyedele and Nzeshi Onwuka
The federal government has said it is yet to receive any
official communication from the United Kingdom (UK) over the plan to compel
first time visitors from Nigeria to deposit a £3,000 cash bond before they can
enter the UK. The money would be forfeited if the visitor overstays his visa
duration.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru,
said this Monday while fielding
questions during the 2013 Ministerial Platform to commemorate the mid-term
anniversary of the current administration in Abuja.
Ashiru added that Nigeria would respond ‘appropriately’
when it receives a formal notification from the UK and gave the assurance that
the interests of Nigerians would be protected.
The new rule, which would take effect in November this
year, will target first time visitors from “high risk” African and Asian
countries to discourage immigration abuse.
Ashiru urged Nigerians not to flout the laws and
regulations of other countries to reduce the unnecessary burden of Nigerian
missions having to deal with the legalities surrounding incarcerated Nigerians.
He particularly singled out drug trafficking, an act
which is more detectable due to the sophistication of equipment at airports all
around the world.
“If you know that the penalty for trafficking of drugs to
a certain country is death, why would you do it? If you willfully commit this
crime, then you want to willfully commit suicide as the sophisticated detectors
would catch you,” he said.
Ashiru, however, noted that Nigerian diplomats all over
the world were still bound to provide consular services for all Nigerians,
including the incarcerated ones in their countries of accreditation.
Speaking on attacks on Nigerians in South Africa, Ashiru
who once served as Nigeria’s High Commissioner to South Africa, said the
members of local chapter of the African National Congress (ANC) during the
anti-apartheid struggle were not aware of the contributions made towards their
independence by their fellow Africans.
“The apartheid regime jammed all broadcast from Radio
Nigeria, VON and all foreign broadcasting networks, so they did not know the
role Nigeria and others played.
“They had the feeling that they fought alone, and the ANC
(foreign) did not tell the ANC local of the activities of other Africans,”
Ashiru explain.
This, he said, resulted in the xenophobia against other
Africans, adding that this was brought on by the resentment that fellow
Africans want to enjoy the resources of South Africa after the collapse of
apartheid.
Ashiru recalled that as high commissioner, he had to
deliver several lectures to university students on the topic to get the right
message across.
Meanwhile, the Russian Embassy in Abuja has dismissed
reports credited to Nigeria’s ambassador to the country, Ambassador Assam E.
Assam, regarding Nigerian sex workers in Moscow.
The embassy, in a news release posted on its website,
expressed concern over the information that some Nigerian nationals involved in
the sex industry are issued visas from the Russian embassy in Abuja.
It described the opinion as “incorrect and groundless”.
“All Nigerian applicants, excluding government officials
and diplomats, are subject to a substantive interview with a consular officer
and thorough document checking,” the embassy said.
Last week, Ambassador Assam was quoted as saying that at
least 200 Nigerian girls are trafficked into Moscow every month and forced into
sex work.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives Committee on
Foreign Affairs yesterday kicked against the proposed visa bond by the UK,
describing it as discriminatory and unacceptable to Nigeria.
Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Hon. Nnenna
Elendu-Ukeje (PDP/Abia), said such policy was not in the best interest of
Nigeria and its bilateral relations with Britain.
The policy, she said, appeared to have been targeted at
non-white Commonwealth countries. The lawmaker said that the Committee on
Foreign Affairs would take a critical look at the policy with a view to
exploring ways of resolving the challenges it would pose to Nigerians.
“The policy is totally unworkable and impractical. It is
contrary to the commitment made to our president (Goodluck Jonathan), by the
British Prime Minister, Mr. David Cameron, during their last meeting.
“We believe it is for political reasons ahead of the
general election in the United Kingdom.
“We seek that our long historical relationship should
take precedence over political expediency,” Elendu-Ukeje said.
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