Nigeria: Swiss Offer to Immigrants

allAfrica.com: Nigeria: Swiss Offer to Immigrants

6 May 2009

editorial

Lagos — The recent offer of $6,500, about N950, 000, by the Swiss government to assist some Nigerians identified as illegal immigrants in that country to return home is not just an uncommon gesture in international diplomacy but also one that should be commended.

According to Nigeria's Ambassador to Switzerland, Mr. Martin Uhomoibhi, this was part of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in 2004 between the two countries to encourage the illegal immigrants to relocate back to the country. About 1000 of such individuals have embraced the offer while many more are believed to have also indicated interest to accept same, even as the two countries have put in place machinery to ensure that the money is utilised for the right purpose when the immigrants return home.

It is, however, embarrassing that Nigerians are being lured with money to return home from a foreign country. It is also surprising that some Nigerians acted contrary to what is considered the standard in an organised and normal society. Indeed, in African tradition as well as several other traditions, an opportunity to return home from a sojourn calls for celebration. This is, however, not the case with some of these compatriots.

That Nigerians living illegally in Switzerland and other parts of Europe are not willing to return home would not have been heard of if conditions and the standard of living in the country were better or even comparable to what obtains in their present places of abode. Apart from this set of people, there are millions of other Nigerians who are illegal immigrants in countries like the United Kingdom, United States and South Africa.

In spite of attempts to discourage these Nigerians from migrating illegally to other countries, several of our youths have thrown caution to the winds in their desperate search for greener pastures across the borders. Many have lost their lives in the desert and on the high seas in the process.

We salute the government of Switzerland for this gesture which is in sharp contrast to the brutality visited on Nigerians in some other countries. For instance, Libya recently deported many Nigerians by simply dumping them at our airports without offering any explanations for the action. Also, a Nigerian that was forcefully being sent home from Spain recently died on board the plane due to the brutality he suffered. There are also cases of inhuman treatment meted out to Nigerians by their hosts particularly within Africa, which are too numerous to mention.

Switzerland is a highly organised and efficient society in terms of data capturing and other related issues. They have the best banking system in the world, a strong, stable economy and are well known for being a non-aligned nation. It is encouraging that having made the offer, the Swiss government, in collaboration with Nigerian officials, is working to effectively monitor the Nigerians when they return home.

This is to ensure that the financial incentives given them are utilised judiciously. There are, indeed, opportunities within the economy that this group of people can tap into to complement the experiences and skills they have acquired while living in Europe.

The sad story of Nigerians being paid to return to their homes, however, is a clear indication of the failure of leadership in the country. The elite, as a result of corruption, have not only impoverished Nigerians but also continued to enrich European nations including Switzerland where much of the money stolen from the national and state treasuries are kept.

Switzerland, as the major custodian of the loot of corrupt African leaders has helped, directly or indirectly, to foster underdevelopment in the country from which Nigerians are running. While repatriating these Nigerians, it should be noted that a significant part of the funds looted by corrupt government officials, which would have been utilised in providing the needed facilities for the citizens, are still trapped in coded accounts in Swiss banks.

Switzerland, other European nations and the United States of America should do more to assist Nigeria and other African countries to recover the stolen funds kept in their bank vaults so that such monies can be used to provide electricity, good roads, water and other major facilities that will make life comfortable for Nigerians and ensure that they do not have to run across the borders as illegal immigrants, in search of what they are not able to enjoy at home.

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