Gloria Ogbu
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has revealed that 539 of Nigerians who were evacuated to the country after being stranded in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) were not able to get work permit because of a new policy by the government of the Middle East country.
Recall that 542 Nigerians were evacuated from the UAE and arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Sunday.
Speaking to Newsmen, the Head of the Media Unit, NEMA, Manzo Ekeziel, disclosed that they are working towards evacuating more Nigerians who are stranded in the UAE.
In his words: “The Federal Government received communication and decided to support them back to the country. I don’t know if there’s any diplomatic row or no
t.“There are some of them that could not come in today but arrangement is on for them to be transported, maybe tomorrow. I’m not sure of the total number of those still left behind.
“One of the evacuees, Blessing Okorie, from Ebonyi State, interacted with, blamed a new visa policy; and that they could not get a work permit.
“She said she travelled to that country with valid papers but after some time, according to her, the government of the UAE came up with a new visa policy that made her unable to get a work permit. Because of that, she was sacked from where she was working and, according to her, she had to hustle.” He stated.