A travel expert and geo-politics enthusiast has likened the new travel law by the UK, France, and Canada as a deliberate policy targeted at Nigerians, and this would affect and break families apart.
James (not real name), who is a member of Govima Travels and Tours, said that this move could spur President Tinubu’s new policy and that most of these western countries are operating illegal businesses in the country that President Tinubu has put an end to. This, he believes, although diplomatically, could influence these countries to get back to Nigeria.
Diplomatically, I feel that the new administration has implemented various restrictions, such as a ban on mining, which was previously carried out illegally by these foreign giants. This has especially impacted the northern region, potentially contributing to the rise of Boko Haram. For example, Bayo Onanuga has imposed a ban on these activities, and individuals involved in mining often employ locals, some of whom may be from countries like France, Canada, and the UK. These nations are likely uncomfortable with the Tinubu Administration’s departure from business as usual, putting an end to illicit practices.
He stressed that the Tinubu administration is shifting its gaze from depending on the west for certain decisions and that “with our refineries now active, including the Dangote refinery, the PH refinery, and possibly the Kaduna refinery, as well as BUA, we no longer send crude abroad for refining, where substantial profits were previously made at our expense. The Tinubu-led government is signalling a shift away from the norm.”
Reacting to this law introduced by Canada, France, and UK, he stressed that the number of people who left Nigeria in search of greener pastures after the covid-19 was alarming, and these countries are concerned about having a massive inflow of Nigerians becoming citizens in the nearest future. And to shift the attention away from racism, a out kf the box PM was allowed to push the agenda.
He added that ‘prior to Covid-19, migrant numbers were lower, but between 2021 and the present, there has been a significant increase, with about 925,000 recorded, marking a 700% year-on-year increment from the UK alone. The aim appears to be to limit Nigerians’ visits to these countries, creating potential family separations based on income criteria.
“Like, we have people leaving by January to join their family or someone who have gone by the virtue of a job, and they are wanting to test things before moving their family overseas and as it stands now, the conventional earnings per hour in the UK is about 10.62 pounds thereabout and annually it is about 21,000 pounds
The analyst also stressed that the UK exactly knows what they are doing and that they also realise that they have some jobs with an empty vacuum, that there are about 93,000 jobs and that with geo-politics knowledge, he can assume that they are not making the same end means profit from the Nigerian government as it used to be.
The UK knows what they are doing; they know that they have enough jobs to fill about 93,000, yet this new law is targeted at Nigerians because they know that it is no longer business as usual for them.
“And they have thought this true and I believe they know the type of job you can do and you can’t lie about what you earn because they have your details and can see everything about you. They are not like Nigerians.
They know what you earn after tax but then i am wondering the algorithm that is used because, at the end of the day for instance, myself and my wife live in the UK and my earning per annum is £22,000 and my wife earns £20,00 a year. At the end, we earn about £42,000, and both of us can bring in our children, take good care of them and enjoy free education till about 18 years old.
The chances are high that they can even reduce earnings. It is their country; you can’t tell them what to do or how to do it. Where people are earning about 22,000 pounds per year just to reduce from 10 pounds to say 8 pounds and at the end, one might not be able to make it.
Captain Of Industry
The Govima Travels Representatives questioned the possibilities and that only those with an high paying jobs that he described as “captains of industry “ can meet the threshold but they are not much in the social ladder. He provided solution for the “tech industry,“ could provide the tendencies of meeting up with the new normal.
Except for those who are captains of industry or A level that earns thousands, on those grounds, you can go in once with everyone but only 5% of Nigerians can have such an opportunity.
People might venture into tech like data science, data analytics, and AI that can give people high paying jobs to surpass those thresholds
‘Anyone who wants to go should think about it again because this is going to tear families apart. It will make a man go to any of these countries and find it difficult to have his family members with him and you know what that will do to our family values.” He concluded.
