Sylvester Idowu in Warri
A Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta State, Chief Sunny Onuesoke has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to suspend visa-on -arrival policy for African countries.
The former governorship aspirant in Delta State argued that Nigeria which is already over populated in view of the GDP/population ratio did not need immigrants to come to Nigeria to further increase her population.
According to him, it is contradictory to close borders while allowing everyone to come to Nigeria.
He stated that despite the avalanche of socio economic problems in Nigeria, including high level unemployment, President Buhari decided to make Nigeria a free- for -all destination, adding that it is disturbing that the decision on visa-on- arrival policy was never discussed and agreed on by the Senate.
Onuesoke, who queried the yardstick for justifying the decision, considering the myriad of problems confronting the nation, maintained that the policy would bring additional burden on already overburdened nation of unemployment, insecurity and infrastructure deficit among others.
The PDP chieftain argued that, while Nigeria desperately needed to reduce her population, the president is inviting foreigners into the country without any visa or any checking, stressing that it is rich countries with small population that can implement such a policy for the purpose of attracting immigrants.
Onuesoke stated that going by the recent President Buhari’s policies, especially that of shutting the borders to protect Nigerian interests, “one was dumbfounded that he could even suggest the dangerous idea of throwing Nigeria border open to African immigrants by pronouncing visa on arrival policy”.
Calling on National Assembly to suspend the policy, Onuesoke stated, “ Can the Presidency tell the nation just one thing Nigeria will consider beneficial from opening its doors to strangers, majority of who are going to be refugees that will contribute only additional problems to the job market?”
He argued that opening the borders to foreigners would create an easy access for more terrorists to come in and destroy the country, adding that there were millions of things to be done to make the country better certainly not this visa free policy.
“In my view, it is only those who will pose security threat to Nigeria that will come from the Arab nations. The NAtional Assembly should stop this policy before Nigerians will start regretting it,” Onuesoke appealed.
