BAHRAIN has been included in a list of 22 countries accused of discriminating against Nigerians since the Ebola outbreak in Africa. Nigerian Foreign Minister Aminu Wali made the comment during a meeting with foreign diplomats, according to the Nigerian newspaper Daily Post. The country has reported cases of Ebola, but has since been cleared of the disease by the World Health Organisation. It is regrettable that discrimination against Nigerians persisted, in spite of the World Health Organisation (WHO) declaration that Nigeria was Ebola-free, he was quoted as saying by the newspaper. It was regrettable that some countries had chosen to flout WHO rules and protocols on preventing the spread of the virus, through deliberate policies of stigmatisation and discrimination. The foreign ministry has received unpleasant reports that Nigerians have been targeted and discriminated in Bahrain, Cote dIvoire, Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon. Other countries he accused of discriminating against Nigerians were Cuba, Gabon, China, Egypt, Hong Kong, Kuwait, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Zambia, Mauritania, Sao Tome, Principe, South Africa, the UAE, Ukraine, Namibia, Seychelles and South Sudan. The minister claimed top government officials on working visits abroad were among those to have faced discrimination. However, a Bahraini group set up to defend the rights of expatriates in Bahrain says it has received no such complaints from Nigerians in the country and defended the governments efforts to keep the lethal disease at bay. The government of Bahrain has the right to protect itself against such diseases, said MWPS chairwoman Marietta Dias. We (MWPS) havent seen any particular bias against Africans as a whole or Nigerians. If there is and it is for health reasons - to prevent their own people from catching the virus - then it seems understandable as the role of government is to protect its people as a priority. Several other countries have imposed similar restriction - so that wouldnt be done if it didnt make sense.
Posted on: Mon, 03 Nov 2014 06:17:45 +0000
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