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With the refusal of the Federal Government of Nigeria to allow 84 South Africans come into the country between Sunday and Tuesday in retaliation for the deportation of 125 Nigerians penultimate week, the stage is now set for the fight of two Africa giants.
It is reported that the Nigerian government may also review the status of all South Africans living in the country to ascertain the validity of their visas and work permit.
The decision of the government is informed by the lack of response from the South African government over the uproar that the deportations of the 125 Nigerians have generated. Nigeria has given five conditions to South Africa to restore normal diplomatic and bilateral relationship with it as it believes the action of South Africa was deliberately targeted at Nigerians.
The Foreign Affairs Minister, Olugbenga Ashiru, said “no nation should take Nigeria’s brotherliness, maturity and friendly business environment “whereby companies, including South African companies, are making more profits from Nigeria than in South Africa for granted.”
The Minister said the government was determined to maintain the dignity of Nigerians everywhere, adding: “When a Nigerian is deported on flimsy excuses, there will be appropriate reaction. It may not be retaliation but it will be reciprocal, one way or the other.
“Let it be known that South African officials do not have monopoly of deportation of travellers. Henceforth, any deportation of Nigerians will be met with equal measure or reciprocal measure; we will not let it go unreciprocated.
“It will be measure for measure; we will not let it go unreciprocated. The signal must go out not just to South Africa but to the rest of the world that when you treat Nigerians with disrespect, we also will find a way of treating your nationals with disrespect. No country has a monopoly of treating Nigerians with disrespect; we too can hit back”.
This issue that might degenerate into a big diplomatic row between both countries would have been avoidable if the125 Nigerian passengers aboard Arik Air and South Africa Airways flights had been allowed into South Africa penultimate Friday.
The South Africa Port Health Authority and the Immigration Service refused them entry on the ground that they had invalid yellow fever vaccination cards bringing to fore the maltreatment of Nigerians in that country.
The Nigerian Government swung into action immediately as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, condemned the actions of South Africa’s immigration authorities as not being in tune with international best practices.
He maintained that Nigeria has no yellow fever epidemic, which is why most countries do not require yellow fever vaccination certificates from travellers coming from Nigeria before allowing them entry.
“Yellow fever is an issue mostly with countries in the Southern Hemisphere,” Ashiru noted.
Foreign Relations analysts have already condemned South Africa’s action.
But findings shows that Nigeria is one of the countries listed as being at risk of yellow fever transmission and countries requiring yellow fever vaccination for travellers arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission.
So, South African Government requires a valid Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate from all passengers over one year of age who arrive or are transiting through South Africa, from a country or region listed by the World Health Organization as infected by yellow fever.
From the October 1, 2011, South African authorities required all travellers arriving from the listed countries to show proof of yellow fever vaccination. Proof of yellow fever vaccination is required from all visitors, including travellers who are transiting through South Africa.
Travellers unable to present a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate issued at least 10 days before arrival in South Africa may be refused entry or placed in quarantine. There is no discretion for travelers without a vaccination certificate to be vaccinated on arrival.
Many of the passengers described the excuse given by the South African Authorities for the entry denial as embarrassing to Nigeria and Nigerians. One of the passengers, Olaminde Olaofe, told NAN that they obtained their cards from government authorised health agencies in Nigeria and added: “This is very embarrassing and dehumanising.
“It is an embarrassment not to us as passengers alone but to the Federal Government of Nigeria that another country will say the document we, as Nigerians, obtained in our country is fake.
“We had arrived there about 5.30 a.m. and until now we are still kept at the airport by the immigration officer under the claim that our yellow fever cards are not recognised.
“Some of us are not first time travelers to South Africa and we had used the same yellow card before to enter the country.
“I obtained my card from Eti-Osa Local Government along with my brother. While I am allowed entry, my brother is held by the immigration people.”
Olaofe said 33 school children on excursion were also affected.
Ashiru said the process of deportation was against international conventions. “It was a shock and I find it difficult to accept that the deportation was on the basis of yellow fever card. Normally, the visa would not have been issued without the yellow fever card.
Many Nigerians have joined in condemning the action of the South African Government. Hon. Abike Dabiri_Erewa, described the act as “continuous unwarranted hostilities against Nigerians by the South Africa government”.
But a Nigerian tour operator said the blame should be placed at the door steps of the Nigerian authority.
The tour operator who pleaded anonymity said the South African Health Authorities could have discovered the hidden truth that most yellow fever cards carried by Nigerians were secured at the airports from touts.
He said “I challenge you to go to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport now, there are touts who will get you a yellow card for less than N1000.”
The tour operator said the argument that the Nigerians have yellow cards should not be taken serious as the genuineness of such cards cannot be trusted.
He said Nigerian authorities should do the right thing at the airports so as to put an end to the harassment of the country. “It is evident that our port health systems in Nigeria are not as robust as they ought to be. Putting in place effective travel vaccination processes that satisfy international standards are not rocket science, given the relatively small numbers of people that need them.”
He added “I concur with the South Africa Immigration and Port Health that they don’t recognise the yellow cards and that signature on the cards were irregular.”
But other observers have slammed the South African government officials as a people without conscience because of the vast resources – both human and material – that Nigeria expended in the process of fighting apartheid South Africa.....
With this are we to say that the south African government is heartless and ungrateful??????
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