UAE’s hostility, a call on FG to look into the mirror

It’S good to see the Nigeria’s Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele and the minister of aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika voicing out their displeasure at the United Arab Emirates’ authorities over their latest maltreatment of Nigeria and its citizens.

Though the latest target of Nigerian citizens for visa ban is not new to anyone in view of similar high handed actions the UAE country had previously taken against Nigeria over little diplomatic issues as witnessed in some embarrassing policies it rolled out to target Nigerians as if Nigeria is the worst country on earth.

The rate at which the foreign country easily rush to pass negative judgement on Nigerians has continued to contradict the cooperation it enjoys in Nigeria through the number of frequencies its national carrier, Emirates controls in Nigeria.

The latest height of its hostility is responsible for the decision by the country’s immigration department to announce the total rejection of visa applications from Nigerians and the humiliation of the over 500 Nigerians just evacuated from the country by the government many of whom had lived and worked there for five years legally, but were rejected for few others misdemeanor in Dubai as if citizens of other nations residing there make no mistakes.

The painful fact is that the UAE government like many other countries does not appreciate the support Nigerian government is giving their airlines operating into Nigeria despite their obvious sabotage of the only Nigerian carrier that operates into their domain under strict conditions.

While it is good that Nigeria through the aviation minister and the CBN governor have come out to let the UAE government realize that Nigeria will not crumble with its threats to stop flights into the country, the drama should however serve as a moment for somber reflection for the Nigerian government.

There is no way the government can separate itself from the unpalatable treatments regularly meted out by the Arab country to Nigerians and their businesses and many others, following the failure of the government to protect its indigenous airlines on one hand and the rights of its citizens.

It is on record how the government has continued to give preferential treatments to the foreign airlines at the detriment of its own domestic carriers through the multiple entry points and unlimited frequencies they have into the country despite the complaints from the various key players.

While governments of nations around the world are seriously involved in aero politics to protect their indigenous investors, Nigeria government is ever ready to dole out business opportunities that should have been used to help develop the domestic airlines and the country’s economy to foreign investors.

This act of giving undue advantages to the foreign airlines at the expense of the growth of its own domestic businesses is responsible for the shenanigans being hurled at the entire country at any slightest provocation.

Rather than help support the Nigerian airlines, the government will always prefer to promote foreign airlines including including the fellow African carriers and subsequently accuse the domestic airlines of incompetency.

The same card is presently being played out in the proposed national carrier, Nigeria Air project in which a foreign African carrier, Ethiopian Airlines is given a preferential advantage over Nigerians despite the huge opposition towards it.

While the exemplary performance of the African carrier is not negotiable, the fact  is  that when the chips are down, the Ethiopian carrier or its government will not look back before flogging Nigeria at the slightest opportunity and it is the Nigerian carriers that will remain come rain or sunshine.

Therefore, the time has come for the government to start supporting its own airlines as against the continuous obsession for foreign things that will at the end backfire as the foreign carriers will dance to the dictates of their home countries just to protect their businesses when the need arises.

Nigerian government’s attitude of ‘the man is good’ towards others rather than yield good fruits is only bringing ridicules to the entire country when such boomerangs. Let those government officials who have formed the habit of doling away the national heritage of the generality of Nigerians pause and have a rethink.

Until the government sees the positivity in giving its indigenous airlines the best options, the foreign countries will continue to take everyone here for granted.

The need for government to speedily review its air transport agreements with these countries become  crucial in the face of the deep hatred they harbour against it in order to nip this in the bud. Many other countries whose citizens are allowed to do business unhindered here have been found to be notorious for ganging up against Nigeria and its business interests.