The British
High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Andrew Pocock, has once again cleared the air
on the controversy surrounding a proposed UK government’s bond on visa
applicants from some countries, including Nigeria.
He clarified
that, ‘the visa bond, as it is being called here, is not a £3,000 charge for a
British visa. That is not the case, it is not going to happen now and it is not
going to happen in the future. Visa fee, which is what you pay for a visa, will
not go to £3,000 or anywhere near it.’
Pocock also
explained that there are plans to influence the inflow of more Foreign Direct
Investments (FDI) from British companies into Nigeria.
He said this
after ringing the closing bell at the
Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) in Lagos.
The United
Kingdom is reviewing its plan to introduce a £3,000 visa bond scheme.
“We have made
it very clear to our government in London that there is concern about this. So,
this is being reviewed and considered in London as we speak now.” he said
He further
said the visa bond is yet to be approved and if even its approved it will only
apply to a very minute number of the over 150, 000 Nigerians that will apply
for UK visas.
He also said
while there were security concerns in Nigeria, they were not overwhelming in
many respects and could be managed.
He said the
British government will not jeopardize diplomatic ties with Nigeria with any
move that will call the relationship between both nations to question.
The British
government had proposed a new scheme under which some visitors from six
commonwealth countries, including Nigeria, would be asked to pay a £3,000 cash
bond in return for visas that allows them to stay in the UK for up to six
months.
Other
countries include India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Ghana
Hallelujah.....
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