The House of Representatives, has commended efforts of Chairman of Air Peace, Mr. Onyema Allen, over his humanitarian intervention, following the renewed xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
The House in a resolution on Tuesday also called on the authorities concerned to consider Allen for a national honours award.
Speaker of the House, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, who on behalf of his colleagues expressed appreciation for Allen, who in the wake of the attacks volunteered an air craft for the evacuation of willing Nigerians from South Africa, said the leadership of the House would invite the businessman to show members’ appreciation of his gesture.
Another 320 set of Nigerians are to be airlifted back by the same airline.
However, the speaker expressed displeasure with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, who he accused of failing to honour the House’s committee invitation for information on the recent attacks.
“This is a nagging problem over which so many questions have been asked, but it is only when the facts are seen that we can address the problem. The minister (Onyeama) has not responded to the chairman’s invitation. I want to use this platform to send a message to the minister that he is very important in this….Respect is reciprocal, and I think I would be speaking to the President on this matter”, Gbajabiamila said.
A member, Hon. Dachung Bagos had at the resumption of plenary, brought a motion on the development under matters of urgent importance, praying the House for a resolution to mandate relevant committees to interface with the executive arm, with an urgent view to reviewing Nigeria’s treaties with South Africa and other countries, as well as investigate the remote and immediate causes of the renewed attacks.
Many members spoke in support of the motion, before it was unanimously adopted through voice votes. Chief Whip of the House, Hon. Tahir Monguno, who was such contributors asked for a paradigm shift in Nigeria’s foreign policy, to be more citizens-centered.
