A travel advisor and network engineer, Nana Kofi Baffour, has called on the African Union (AU) to impose sanctions on South Africa over what he described as persistent xenophobic attacks against other African nationals.
He argued that until the AU applied proportionate sanctions, the attacks and lawlessness targeting migrants living and working in South Africa would continue.
Speaking in an interview with The Ghanaian Times on Tuesday, Nana Baffour, a Ghanaian-Belgian citizen, said it was time the AU held member states accountable for actions against fellow Africans.
He noted that the AU, like the European Union, was established to promote unity, trade, integration and solidarity among African countries, but said the conduct of some South Africans undermined those ideals.
Nana Baffour said while the South African government had the right to deal with undocumented migrants through lawful and diplomatic means, the attacks on foreign nationals were criminal and extra-judicial.
To address the long-standing xenophobic incidents, he urged leaders across the continent, particularly in Ghana and Nigeria, to intensify public education among their citizens, who are often the most affected.
He also cautioned prospective travellers seeking better opportunities abroad to be wary of fraudulent “visa agents” who, he said, “promise heaven and deliver hell”.
While encouraging safe and lawful migration, Nana Baffour advised visa applicants to take time to understand application requirements before embarking on the process.
Drawing on his experience of over a decade providing free travel guidance both in person and through social media, he warned Africans against investing their lifetime savings solely to travel abroad.
He explained that although opportunities existed in the United States, Europe, Asia and Australia, prospective migrants needed to remain vigilant and pursue only legitimate pathways.
In recent months, South Africa has come under scrutiny over recurring attacks on foreign nationals living and working in the country.
Some South Africans have accused state institutions of allowing migrants, particularly from West Africa, to take up jobs, contributing to rising unemployment.
In some instances, shops owned by foreign nationals have been looted, while individuals have been assaulted and, in extreme cases, killed.
BY MALIK SULLEMANA
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