THE RISING BACKLASHES IN NIGERIA'S DIPLOMATIC RELATIONSHIP WITH UAE AND THE ITS ATTENDANT EFFECTS….. EXCUSE THE AVIATION MINISTER, Chief Kalu Ask President Buhari
Diplomatic relationship amongst countries in the world is purposely built to ensure inter Sovereign States ties, cooperation and harmony to achieve investment plans, corporate policies, security and medical aids of the member States. It is an inter connectivity of social -political rapport where two or more states maintain cooperation and harmony.
This level of cordiality and peaceful co-existence have been flourishing between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates( UAE) until recently the Nigeria Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika’s personal frailties and negligence erupted to truncate it.
Recall that, the Katsina-born Aviation Minister on his personal sentiment decided to replace the Emirates Airlines with Qatari Air in the inter-governmental air services engagement between the two nations that is now stoking the fire that is capable of crushing their diplomatic marriage.
We all know the level of investments Nigerians have in the said Middle East country and several millions of Nigeria business persons who are, on a daily basis, patronizing Dubai in the importation of goods and services. There is no much stake of the government of this very country here in Nigeria and if this ugly trend continues, it will likely affect Nigerians who have a lot to lose in the entire scenario.
Today, UAE has given a Nigeria flag carrier airline; "Air Peace" six slots to be landing in Dubai instead of the usual Sharjah and if this rift created by the Ministers’ meddlesomeness is not checkmated, might lead to cancellation of this operations window given to Air Peace not only in Dubai but in the entire 7 regions of the Middle East Country. In the first place, the truth remains that there is no tangible reason why this diplomatic loggerheads should arise if not the selfishness of Nigeria’s Aviation Minister who has been hell bent on withdrawing Emirates Airline services in order to succeed his personally hatched plans. It is unfair for him to be sowing seeds of discord between the two countries when there is truly nothing that warrants it.
Moreover, it is highly uncalled for to allow one s personal interest to take the place of the common interest of other citizens. It is never done anywhere and I think it is time for Mr. President to intervene by either subjecting the Minister to a probe or automatically relieve him of his appointment so that Nigeria can move forward in this dimension.
Mr. Hadi's ambition to run for the governorship position in Katsina State is a good one but that should not be a yardstick to ruin our country’s’ cordial relationship with the UAE. If this happens, it amounts to dragging Nigeria to the mud and we have had enough of monumental socio political challenges in the time being.
Without mincing words, we unequivocally reiterate that the Minister be dismissed and probed so that Nigeria will continue to tango in her diplomatic affinity with the United Arab Emirates.
This really, is the manifestation of a leadership, bereft of capacity where services delivery is to the detriment of the governed but fruitful to the individual public servant in question. This sort of action displayed in public sector administration not only retards economic stability of a nation but also goes a long way in engraving her potential industrial growth in darkness.
Global Initiatives For Good Governance on the path of speedy advocacy for accountability, calls for immediate probe of Mr. Sirika using comprehensive diplomatic information gathering from UAE end to "let the cat out of the bag," the smartness the Hon. Minister has been scheming. Everyday Nigeria is facing economic crisis is not because our resources are not generating incomes rather it is always the in-depth self aggrandizement and avarice of most public officials and we hereby demand that this anomaly and rascality be resisted.
In conclusion, we call for the urgent intervention of Mr. President to avoid a situation whereby, out of sheer negligence we use our own hands to scatter what we have already gathered. Nigeria cannot afford to dangle into unnecessary diplomatic and political disarray with UAE because of one man’s character, indecency and selfishness.
This country belongs to us all and nobody has the right to horse-trade her against the will of others. What makes a government creditably achieve her objectives and score excellently in the eyes of the governed is when the windows of sentiment and nepotism are totally closed to enable the doors of accountability, due process and good service delivery open.
Chief Dr Emeka Kalu
Director General,
Global Initiatives For Good Governance.
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