Nigerians abroad should be part of rebranding project — NUTAG scribe

The Nigerian Union of Traders (NUTAG) in Ghana, has called on the Federal Government to partner with Nigerians living abroad to achieve the objectives of the rebranding Nigeria campaign.

Mr. Jasper Emenike, the Secretary General of the Union, made the call yesterday in Accra, Ghana, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Emenike said Nigerians living overseas should be carried along in the campaign since they were directly involved in creating a negative or positive image for Nigeria in their country of residence.

``Here in Ghana, Nigerians are seen as criminals and the same scenario obtains in other ECOWAS member countries. The Federal Government has a duty to address this perception that we are crooks and scammers,’’ he said.

Emenike noted that Nigerians had been victims of unjustified harassments in many ECOWAS countries, in spite of the assistance being provided by Nigeria to those countries.

``Government should not be spending its resources to assist countries that have been maltreating Nigerians and treating them as second-class citizens simply because they are trying to make a living in their countries.

``So, we see the rebranding campaign as necessary and we are willing to collaborate with the Federal Government because the media in Ghana have created the impression that it is risky to do business with Nigerians,’’ Emenike said.

He said the image of the Yar’Adua administration was also at stake because foreigners see his government as ``corrupt and not capable of tackling the cankerworm of corruption ravaging the nation’’.

The NUTAG scribe advised the Minister of Information and Communications, Prof. Dora Akunyili, to adopt measures that would make Nigerians embrace the project rather than making it a media event.

Emenike said there was a need for the government to sensitise and educate Nigerians in ECOWAS countries on how they can live as responsible citizens in their country of residence.

``Many people, especially traders, know little or nothing about the rebranding project. Nigerian traders in foreign countries should be mobilised to be part of the campaign because they deal more with foreigners on a daily basis,’’ he said.

The rebranding Nigeria campaign, which was launched on March 17, is designed to change the negative perception of Nigerians in other countries.