Federal Ministry of Information, Nigeria
Jonathan laments huge number of Nigerians in South
African prisons
President Goodluck Jonathan has expressed shock
over the large number of Nigerian citizens in various
prisons in South Africa.
Jonathan told the Nigerian community in South Africa
on Monday in Cape Town, South Africa that the high
number of Nigerians in South African prisons did not
speak well about Nigeria.
``I was told that more than 250,000 Nigerians are
living in South Africa and that more than 400 are in
prison serving various jail terms.
``This is a bad example of what Nigerians in the
Diaspora should be; there are some countries like
Malawi and Uganda that no Nigerian is in prison.
``Most Nigerians are doing very well abroad in
various professional callings.
``There are Nigerians living in South Africa making
good name for us but a few of you are doing things in
different ways.
``There is need for these few Nigerians to be good
ambassadors of Nigeria so that people will not see
Nigeria and Nigerians as corrupt and criminal-minded
people and nation,’’ Jonathan said.
He said that Issue of corruption, security and crime
were important to him and his administration.
``From my experience as deputy governor up till the
time I was elected as the vice president I know those
who talk more about corruption are the most corrupt.
``Peoples’ perception about corruption in Nigeria was
over amplified than the corruption that happens in the
country.
``The perception index is very high, we are not
saying there’s no corruption in the country, all of us
must work hard to fight corruption,’’ Jonathan said.
He said that the problem of insecurity in some parts
of the country was being addressed by government.
``The issue of insecurity, threat to peace and stability
in some parts of the country is being addressed;
threat to peace and stability in the country must be
stopped,’’ Jonathan said.
The president said he was totally committed to what
was right for the country at all times.
``I promise Nigerians that issue of power will be
solved as soon as the privatisation of power sector is
completed.
``Power is key to the transformation agenda of this
government; in no distance future the type of
transformation in the telecommunication sector will
be experienced in the power sector.
``We as government are doing everything to build a
Nigeria of our dreams. Our airports are being
renovated and modernisation and expansion of our
railway transport system is ongoing.
``All what we request from all Nigerians both at
home and in the Diaspora is support and
understanding.’’
Jonathan assured that insecurity and molestation of
Nigerians by various South African authorities would
be discussed with President Jacob Zuma during the
state visit.
The President of the Nigeria Union in South Africa
(NUSA), Mr Ikechukwu Anyene, commended the
president for conducting what was considered the
most credible election in the history of Nigeria.
``It will never be out of fashion to say congratulations
to you for the election of May 2011 that brought you
to office.
``We congratulate you not because you won but
because you made Nigerians all over the world proud
by staging what has been dubbed as the freest and
fairest election.’’
Anyene said the action changed the tide in the way
politicians came to power in Nigeria.
``We salute the courage and wisdom with which your
administration is dealing with the delicate and
monstrous security challenges we are faced with at
the moment in our country.’’
He urged the president to continue to explore every
avenue to achieve peace in Nigeria.
``We must achieve a Nigeria that is safe and secure,
where all ethnic groups can leave peacefully side by
side with one another.
``Peace and unity is a necessary pre-condition for the
development of any country.’’
He said that insecurity was preventing Nigeria from
becoming a destination for foreign direct investment.
Anyene said the visit of the president to South Africa
would help to strengthen the relationship between the
two countries and their peoples.
He said, however, that Nigeria and South Africa
should find a better way of translating government-
to-government talk into person-to-person relationship
between the citizens of the two countries and organs
of state.
``Nigeria still receive inhuman, disrespectful and
degrading treatment that suggest negative social
profiling in this country within the South Africa Police
Service as well other government departments,
especially the Home Affairs,’’ Anyene said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that
Jonathan will attend the World Economic Forum on
Africa on Wednesday, before leaving South Africa on
Thursday for Namibia.
Source: NAN*

Mr president,I got ur back.By Gods grace you`ll be the best president ever.pls don't lose focus because that is what the desperate oppositions want. Fresh air till 2019