Breaking: Anti-Xenophobia Protest Rocks Enugu
Breaking: Anti-Xenophobia Protest Rocks Enugu
Enugu youths have taken to the streets demanding an end to the killing of Nigerians in South-Africa.
The protesters, who were chanting anti-xenophobia songs, issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the South-African President, Jacob Zuma, to either protect Nigerians in the country or have them destroy South-African investments in Nigeria.
South African owned company, MTN Nigeria, has warned that about 6,000 Nigerians might loose their job should there be a reprisal attack on its facilities due to the ongoing xenophobic escalation.
It said about 99 percent of its workforce are Nigerians.
According to the Corporate Service Executive, MTN Nigeria, Mr. Wale Goodluck, there are only 12 expatriates working for the company in the country, compared to a workforce of 6,000 Nigerians.
Goodluck said, “So, if people go ahead with their threats to attack our facilities, what that means is that we may be forced to close down the business in Nigeria and about 6,000 Nigerians that make up 99 per cent of our workforce will be unemployed.
“Then, when you look at our support chain, we have about 500,000 Nigerians gainfully employed. So, boycotting our services simply means destroying so many other Nigerian businesses and making over 500,000 other Nigerians to lose their jobs.
“This business supports a lot of businesses across the length and breadth of Nigeria. Many of the businesses that are affiliated to South Africa are in the retail space, supporting the growth of Nigeria and employing so many Nigerians.”
He noted that the company had spent in excess of $15bn on capital expenditure growing the telecommunications business in Nigeria.
“We see no revenge of Xenophobia and we commend the role the Nigerian High Commissioner in South Africa has played; at least there has been no fatality on the part of any Nigerian,” Goodluck added.
Owing to the increasing xenophobic attacks on foreigners including Nigerians in South Africa, the Nigerian House of Representative has vowed to invoke a law to frustrate South Africa's interest in Nigeria.
The lawmakers also asked President Jonathan to immediately recall Nigeria's envoy to South Africa
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