By Ife Osemedua
365Daily – Some Nigerians living in the United Kingdom (UK) have raised the alarm over the new COVID-19 quarantine policy recently announced by the country, describing it as “discriminatory, racist and unfair”.
The contentious policy was recently put in place as a result of the breakout of the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron.
According to the new policy, UK residents travelling from Nigeria are expected to spend £2,285 (about ₦1,371,000) on UK government approved hotel quarantine for 10 days.
Announcing the policy over the weekend, Sajid Javid, the UK Health Secretary, said: “The government has decided to add Nigeria to the travel red list and that will be effective from 4am on Monday. This will mean that only UK residents or citizens of the UK can enter the UK from Nigeria from that point onwards, and they would have to quarantine in one of the relevant hotels.”
This has attracted public outrage by Nigerians, especially those resident in the UK, leading to a massive mobilisation to protest against the unpleasant policy.
To this end, a WhatsApp group on how to resolve the issue has been set up, with a Nigerian broadcast journalist, Rose Peters Graham, as one of the admins.
An online petition to draw the attention of the UK parliament to that effect, is also currently receiving signatures. At 100,000 signatures, this petition will be considered for debate in UK Parliament, according to UK law.
The main grouse of the petitioners is that other countries in the West and elsewhere, with more prevalence of the new COVID-19 variant are not on the red list as Nigeria.
They argued that fully vaccinated people coming from Nigeria should be allowed to isolate at home, rather than at government approved hotels, which they consider very expensive and out of the reach of many.
One of the comments on the WhatsApp group read: “Yes this is another way of discrimination, how can somebody that lives in a country, have his home here, also fully vaccinated before travelling, come back from his journey and you instructe him to quarantine in a hotel that will cost him £2000 plus?”
Another person wrote, “UK see us as useless people. Our leaders in Nigeria actually confirm this with their erratic behaviour.
“This must be opposed. It’s clear racism. Nigeria only has 3 cases ( of Omecron) while other European countries range from 4 to 19 cases without any action against them.”
Another aggrieved Nigerian, who identified himself as Engr. Olusegun Opanuga on the WhatsApp group, is of the view that this development presents Nigeria with the opportunity for self appraisal.
According to him, “I think this will be the greatest opportunity for Nigeria to think inward and fix their country as many European countries dislike them so much that they don’t want you near their countries whenever you need them.
“If we don’t compete intelligently, economically, educationally, socially, financially or medically with other advanced world, then they will throw anything at you because they don’t value you even if you carry their passport.
“So, I am not stamping on the protest to change Nigeria status but for us to change our status to be relevant and be counted worthy.
“Let us Go and Fix our Country.
“I am still relevant at my workplace because they count me worthy. If I have nothing to offer them, I will be treated with disgust and shown the way out.”