Xenophobia attacks: FG wants NEPAD Continental to intervene

A man holds a brick near the hostels in the Jeppestown area of Johannesburg where clashes broke out / Mujahid Safodien /AFP<br />

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Babachir Lawal, has called on the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) Continental to intervene in the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.

 He made the appeal on Tuesday in Abuja during the two-day stakeholders meeting and skill initiative workshop for youth empowerment organised by the NEPAD Continental and NEPAD Nigeria.

Lawal was represented by Amb. Roy Ugo, the Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Affairs, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF).


He said that NEPAD Continental as seat of the continent’s development programme in South Africa should design a quick intervention programme to end the attacks on Nigerians.

 According to him, Nigeria and South Africa have several business and economic development partnership which should not be disrupted because of some groups of selfish persons.

He said that the Federal Government would not want to take any drastic action that would negatively affect the relationship between Nigeria and South Africa.

Besides, Lawal charged the NEPAD continental office to engage with relevant authorities in South Africa to do the needful with stringent measures put in place to punish perpetuators of xenophobia to serve as a deterrent to others.

In a response, Mrs Esterine Fotabong, Director, NEPAD continental said that the Government of South Africa has openly condemned the attacks on Nigerians and fellow Africans in the country.

She said that that there would be a peaceful dialogue to resolve the misunderstanding and to continue the peaceful relationship between both countries for a better future.

Fotabong said she would relay the message to the Chief Executive Officer of NEPAD Continental so that quick interventions would be put in place to stop the menace.