FG Displeased Over Visa Ban, Fights UAE

The Federal Government expressed displeasure as it moves to fight the United Arab Emirates (UAE) over the visa ban imposed on Nigerians.

A few days ago, UAE announced a ban on Nigerian travelers following the outcry over a broad rejection of visa applicants of Nigerian origin. The Arab nation immediately contacted its trading partners in Nigeria and a series of travel agencies to notify them of the new development, Investors King understands

UAE did not only impose a visa ban on the citizen of Nigeria but also restricted its airline, Emirate Airlines from flying into the country. This, the Nigerian government attributed to the ongoing trapped fund tussle between itself and foreign airlines led by Emirate Airlines.

The Nigerian Government however has expressed its surprise at the turn of the event, describing the situation as unnecessary.

Godwin Emefiele, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, said Nigeria is a big market for their business and to threaten the country over the issue of trapped funds is demeaning and a slap in the face.

Emefiele, who was present at the House of Representatives, said the Federal Government was making moves to repatriate trapped funds to various countries.

He however heaped the blame on the global economy that made it difficult to generate the necessary foreign exchange needed to repatriate trapped funds.

Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika who was also riled up by the measures adopted by UAE over the issue, said although he genuinely sympathized with them, however, that is no reason for them to go to such childish lengths.

According to the speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, the issue of foreign airlines’ trapped funds was a major concern to the House. He reiterated that efforts were being made to ensure payments are made by December and urged the international airlines to lift the ban imposed on Nigerian travelers.

Similarly, Professor Ayo Omotayo, the Director General of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in Jos, Plateau State, who was also displeased at the turn of events, said as Nigerians, we do not know our worth, we have what it takes to be better than Dubai, there is nothing overly special about Dubai, adding that, we should not allow ourselves to be trampled upon by Dubai.

He said: “I have been to Dubai several times. I don’t see any big deal going to Dubai. As Nigerians who have self-pride, we should ban ourselves from going to Dubai. Is it the hotels or the sea that is not anywhere else in the world? I don’t think we should be at the mercy of any country.”

“We have what it takes to be better than Dubai. The Emirates did not make the place themselves; it is a combination of people from all walks of life that made Dubai. We should give ourselves a self-ban. We have nothing to lose,” he concluded.

The prof., urged Nigerians especially upper-class citizens to learn, unlearn and relearn their approach to how to get things done, he said, there should be diverse methods and approaches to addressing the issues affecting the country.

“We are in the era of destructive leadership. You cannot continue to do things the way you have been doing those things. We must begin to have different perspectives on doing things. We must exchange ideas. We cannot afford to continue to move in a cycle. We must reflect ideas, we must create an avenue for solutions to our problems.”