By Stephen Adeleye.
An Economist, Mr Ukwunetu Samuel Ali, has urged Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State, to provide humanitarian aid to deportees from the United States of America (USA) who are indigenes of the state.
Ali gave the advice in a letter he addressed to the Governor, and made a copy available to our Correspondent on Wednesday in Lokoja.
According to him, the gesture would lessen the traumatic impact of deportation and the challenges that come with reintegrating into society.
The expert stressed the need for federal and state governments to collaborate to helping the deportees to rebuild their lives and reintegrate into their communities with dignity.
“Looking at the traumatic impact of deportation and the challenges that come with reintegrating into society, I am calling on Kogi Government to provide humanitarian aid to lessen the hardship and distress caused by this experience.
“We believe that our brothers and sisters deserve our care, compassion, and support during this difficult time. Together, we can make a difference and provide a soft landing for our dear indigenes,” Ali said.
In addition to steps that the federal government would take to lessen the negative impact on the deportees, Ali urged state government to give a proper welcome to the Kogi natives among the deportees in order to demonstrate its love and compassion for them.
He further implored the state government to provide free medical treatment for the deportees and their children as well as temporary accommodation and food assistance to allow them to settle and plan for their future.
“In addition, the government should provide employment, vocational training and skills acquisition programs to facilitate economic reintegration, as well as educational assistance to their children, proper protection for their residence to ensure adequate security for them.
“I want the government to provide counseling and psychological support to address trauma and stress.
“The government should form a committee to manage and oversee the matters pertaining to them, to ensure that the deportees and the government have a good relationship.
“I passionately appeal to your Excellency to give proper consideration to these ideas for adoption and implementation,” Ali advised.
He added: “The situations that our American brothers and sisters of Nigeria origin were currently facing are reminiscent of the ones that prompted Walter Rodney to write the 1972 book How Europe Underdeveloped Africa.
“As Walter Rodney noted in the book he wrote, these individuals whom the American president is deporting have made important contributions to the growth of America, and they deserved better treatment from the American government.
“As a Nigerian who shares the suffering of our sons and daughters living in the United State of America, I chose to write you this letter with a heavy heart because I believe that the current American policy of expelling Nigerians from their nation is inhuman, and we at home must do everything in our power to support them when they return”.
Ali is a native of Kogi State from Ayah community in Igala-Mela/Odolu Local Government Area of Kogi.
He is the author of the book titled “A Compendium of Biographies of Senator Oluremi Bola Tinubu, Hajia Sefinat Usman Ododo, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and Other Notable Women As A Panacea To Negligence Of Girl-Child Education In Nigeria,” which is about to be launched soon.
