The Federal Government may opt
for a retaliatory measure if the United Kingdom went ahead to
implement its proposed £3,000 visa bond.
Nigeria was said to have made
this known during a private meeting between Foreign
Affairs Minister, Olugbenga Ashiru, and British High
Commissioner, Andrew Pocock, in Abuja.
Nigeria is one of the six
countries whose nationals would be required to pay the £3,000 bond
under a proposed policy that will take effect in November. The others are
India, Bangledish, Ghana, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
It was gathered that Pocock admitted
at the meeting with Ashiru that the UK planned to introduce the “financial
bond as a way of tackling abuse in the immigration system”, but added, “No
final decision has been made.”
Ashiru, who was said to have
recalled the days when nationals of Commonwealth travelled freely to the
UK and other member states, expressed displeasure over
the policy which he described as not only “discriminatory but
capable of undermining the spirit of the Commonwealth family.”
A source privy to the meeting
said, “The minister conveyed the reservations of the Federal Government
to Pocock, who said the policy was still a proposal. The minister
reminded him of British investments in Nigeria and vice-versa.
“He asked him to think about the
implications a retaliatory measure would have on the two countries. The
minister stressed that Nigeria might also impose £3,000 visa bond on
British nationals coming into the country too.”
After the meeting, the ministry issued
a statement in which it recalled “the strong historical bonds between the
peoples of the various countries who were all regarded at that time as
Commonwealth citizens.”
It further “recalled that this
time-honoured practice was unilaterally jettisoned by the UK in
1985, thereby weakening the bonds of the Commonwealth family.”
According to the statement by
the spokesperson for the ministry, Ogbole Ode, Ashiru told the
British envoy “that the proposed policy would definitely negate the joint
commitment by Prime Minister David Cameron and President Goodluck Jonathan to
double the volume of bilateral trade between the two countries by 2014.”
It added, “Ambassador Ashiru
pointed out that the decision of the UK government is coming at the time the
Commonwealth Foreign Ministers have unanimously recommended for adoption at the
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in November 2013, a
proposal to remove visa requirements for holders of official and
diplomatic passports from member states.”
Ashiru, who appealed to the UK
to reconsider the proposed policy, noted “that the Federal
Government has a responsibility to take appropriate measures to protect the
interests of Nigerians, who may be affected by it (policy), if finally
introduced.
“The minister informed the British
High Commissioner that the Federal Government values the very cordial relations
and strategic partnership between the two countries and would not want the
introduction of any new policy to affect these cherished relations,” the
statement added.
In its own
statement, the British High Commission reiterated that details of
the policy were still being worked out. “No final decision has been
made,” the Head of Press and Public Affairs Section, Rob Fitzpatrick said.
The commission said, “if the plan
were to go ahead in Nigeria, it would affect only a very small number of
the highest risk visitors.”
The statement added, “The vast
majority would not be required to pay a bond. Those paying bonds would
receive the bond back, if they abided by the terms of their visa.
“Let me put this in
perspective. Over 180,000 Nigerians apply to visit the UK each
year. About 70 per cent or around 125,000, of those applicants are
successful. Travel between our two countries is a key part of our strong
cultural and business relationship. Financial bonds would be focussed on
only a tiny minority of potential abusers. It would not be a
“£3,000 visa charge” as some media reporting has alleged.
“As soon as more details of the
policy have been decided, we will inform the Nigerian government and public
fully and officially, in the spirit of our long standing friendship, and our
wish to help bona fide Nigerian visitors to work, study or do business in the
UK.”
Also in Abuja, the Senate
raised its voice against the proposed visa policy and warned that
Nigeria would have to adopt the principle of reciprocity if the UK went
ahead to implement it.
Tags
Politics
Oga H.C that wan na grammar. The imposition of the Bond should not come into play.
ReplyDeleteIt is not only your country that needs to be protected from ill immigrants, we also need to do same and recognise same just like you.
Gosh!!! You guys are the very reasons why discremination as a word was ever spoken and racisim as a reality ever came to be.
Well spoken nwanne
DeleteIt is obvious they want to stop the average living Nigerians from entering the UK come to think of it, i want to visit the UK for shopping or something i will then save about 750,000 thousand naira before i can leave my country where on earth is the money for shopping. Well it will be of our best interest if they will also pay £10,000 to come to Nigeria it will add a great value to Nigeria as a country.
ReplyDeletedont mind dis nonsence british, the whole countries imposed by this stupid laws will also implement against them and who will loose? Allow them to implement it and they will suffer most
ReplyDelete