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The Senior Political Adviser to the Governor of Delta state, Rt Hon. Funkekeme Solomon makes a presentation to one of the Soth African returnees.Photos: Austine Oyibode.

The Senior Political Adviser with Genevieve Mordi, Special Assistant to the Governor on Diaspora matters.

Delta State Government yesterday Thursday, March 12, 2020 received 39 Deltans who were among Nigerians evacuated from South Africa in the wake of the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in the former apartheid country.

They were received and formally welcome back home by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa who was represented at the event by the Senior Political Adviser to the Governor, Rt. Hon. Funkekeme Solomon in the conference hall of his office.Some of the Deltan South African returnees in a photograph with government officials.

Solomon sympathized with the returnees, who are mainly young vibrant persons, males and females, lamenting that they had greatly suffered so much in South Africa where they were subjected to all manner of humiliations, and forcefully taking their jobs from them.

Welcoming them back home the Senior Political Adviser the state government led by Senator Ifeanyi Okowa feels for them, pointing out that if it was possible to prevent situations that that led them to the South Africa, it would have been done.

“You must have seen and passed through a lot in South Africa; you must have seen man’s inhumanity to man,” he said, adding that it was unthinkable that South Africa could return hatred to Nigeria forgetting all that Nigeria did for the liberation of the former apartheid nation.
Rt. Hon. Solomon said although it was painful to have abandoned their means of livelihood in South Africa, he advised them to forgive and start their lives again.

He said the government of Delta state was ready to welcome them back to the state and would make provisions for them to settle down in Delta and live a worthy, healthy and happy life..
He explained that the state government has provided a soft financial assistance for them while work is on to get them settled and equip them with useful skills to start life again.
He said no matter what happens in your country, your home is your home, even as he advised them to make use of their skills.

The Commissioner for Information, Charles Aniagwu, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of information, Paul Osahon encouraged them to apply their skills to build a future for themselves, and that it was necessary that they engaged in skills acquisition to enhance their lives and make a living for themselves.

Osahon told the returnees that what they went in search of in South Africa all are available here in Nigeria, and that will diligence they can develop their skills and build an enterprise that could become a conglomerate.

Genevieve Mordi, who is the special assistance to the governor on diaspora affairs, said the governor is happy that they have all returned from South Africa, saying the governor has provided several platforms for them to achieve their life’s goals.

Mordi, who played a critical role in their settlement in the state, told the returnees that life is full of challenges, noting that there are challenges everywhere.
She advised them to use any assistance given to them by the government to enhance their lives.

They will be trained in many skills as much as are available in the skills empowerment programme of the Delta state government.