The Nigeria Union South Africa (NUSA) has said that many issues affecting Nigerians in that country are already being addressed by Mr Andrew Idi, the country.
President of the union Mr Collins Mgbo revealed this in a statement sent to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) from Johannesburg on Wednesday.
Mgbo expressed the union’s appreciations to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama and Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Chief Executive Officer, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, among others, for the efforts they are making to tackle their problems.
He acknowledged the speed and urgency with which Idi began to address pending issues affecting Nigerians in the southern African country within the short period he assumed duty.
“One of such issues is the xenophobic sentiment against foreign nationals. The consul general had met with the law enforcement agencies to discuss how to solve the problem and so far xenophobia has reduced significantly.
“The new consul general has resolved the issue of excessive charges that Nigerians complained about during the tenure of the previous administration in the consulate and has removed all the charges within a short period of time.
“He has resolved the issue of passport racketeering that was the order of the day at the consulate general’s office in Johannesburg and brought dignity back to the consulate,’’ the NUSA president said.
“Idi has been a blessing to the community since his arrival; he has attended to all the cases that affect Nigerians from province to province, week to week and has on many occasions provided financial support to Nigerians desperately in need.
“The new consul general has proven that Nigerians can be proud in a foreign country. We are aware that groups of individuals are trying to tarnish his image already because they can no longer do as they wish at the consulate.
“But we can assure the Federal Government and Nigerians in South Africa that we are in good hands and we believe that it will continue to be better,” he added.
Mgbo noted that the much that Idi had achieved so far, showed that he is the right man for the job and that the decision of the federal government in appointing him was a step in the right direction.
“NUSA assures the consul general that we will continue to work with him and assist him as community leaders to achieve set goals and objectives, especially issues that affect the welfare of Nigerians resident in South Africa
“NUSA also assures the consul general that the organisation shall continue to encourage Nigerians in South Africa to remain law abiding and to represent the country positively since they are witnessing a sense of sanity this far. (NAN)