Ebola - FG flays 22 countries for stigmatizing Nigerians

Ebola: FG flays 22 countries for stigmatizing Nigerians
OCTOBER 31, 2014 BY ADELANI ADEPEGBA ABUJA

The Federal Government has criticised 22 countries for stigmatizing
Nigerians over the Ebola Virus Disease outbreak, which it said had been
cared for, prompting the World Health Organisation to give the country a
clean bill of health.

It said the continued stigmatizing of Nigerians was unacceptable and
named the countries that had been discriminating against Nigerian
nationals to include Bahrain; Côte d'Ivoire; Equatorial Guinea,
Cameroon, Cuba, Gabon, China, Egypt and Hong Kong.

Others are Kuwait; Qatar; Sri Lanka; Turkey; Zambia; Mauritania; São
Tomé & Principe; South Africa; United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, Namibia,
Seychelles and South Sudan.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Aminu Wali, who protested the
incident, at a meeting with members of the Diplomatic Corps on Friday in
Abuja, also cautioned Heads of Mission for making what he called
inflammatory and reckless statements against the FG on matters of
domestic policy.

According to him, such an act is "unacceptable interference in Nigeria's
domestic affairs, such envoys are advised to respect the sensitivity of
Nigerians and the mood of the times."

Wali said, "It is disappointing and troubling that in spite of the
decisive measures taken by the Federal Government of Nigeria and the
subsequent positive declaration by WHO, some countries have regrettably,
chosen to flout the WHO rules on the (Ebola) virus by adopting
deliberate policies of stigmatization and discrimination against
Nigerians simply because we were unfortunately exposed to the virus.

"I will like to make it categorically clear that the continued
discrimination and profiling of Nigeria is not acceptable to the
government and people of Nigeria."

The minister said it was intriguing that it took some time for the
international community to acknowledge the valiant and effective
measures taken by the government at all levels, to contain the spread of
the Ebola virus.

Wali observed that the outbreak of epidemics like the Middle East
Respiratory Syndrome and the Avian Influenza, did not attract
stigmatization against the affected countries.

Members of the Diplomatic Corps at the meeting, raised various issues of
concern, ranging from the 2015 elections, to the Boko Haram insurgency,
all of which the minister addressed, assuring them that the FG was
working hard to contain the security challenge in the country.

He explained that the government was doing everything possible to ensure
that the forthcoming election is transparent and credible, and called
for the support of the international communities to make the electoral
process, a success.

Source: Ebola: FG flays 22 countries for stigmatizing Nigerians -
http://www.punchng.com/news/ebola-fg-flays-22-countries-for-stigmatizing-nigerians/