Gridlock As COVID-19 Contractors Protest In Abuja

A gridlock affecting vehicular movement on Monday has been reported in Abuja around the secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) as a result of protests by COVID-19 contractors.

The officials who were responsible for supplying medical equipment and other items to the FCTA reportedly took to the streets today to demonstrate their displeasure with the partial payment of money owed them since 2019.

The development is said to have caused gridlock on the route as the aggrieved contractors blocked the entrance gate of the FCT Minister, preventing motorists from gaining access to the FCTA secretariat.

Japa Phenomenon: Amosun Backtracks, Denies Calling UK, US, Canada, Others ‘Wicked

A former Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, on Monday stated that his recent interview, where he said foreign countries granting Nigerians visas are wicked, was deliberately misrepresented.

Recall that Amosun had in an interview with BBC on Saturday reportedly described foreign countries as “wicked” for encouraging the emigration of Nigerian youths in large numbers.

According to the former Governor, countries giving visas to Nigerian accountants, lawyers, and medical practitioners do not consider the effect on Nigeria.

He said, “I have heard about it, and the reports are scary. All our youths and young talents are traveling out of Nigeria, seeking greener pastures, and the prospective countries are deliberately giving them visas to leave the country without putting the origin country into consideration.

“What scares me most in all this is the proliferation of emigration. Foreigners will not fix our nation for us if all our citizens should leave the country. I am seeing the countries granting visas to our youths as wicked because they are not considering the origin nation from which their prospective labour force are coming from.

“If you ask our people leaving the nation for greener pastures, they will tell you that they are not planning to return to Nigeria.”

In a statement signed by his media aide, Bola Adeyemi, on Sunday, the lawmaker representing Ogun Central said the choice of the word “wicked” was the reporter’s and not his.