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.
The campaign is going round the states.