The Mayor of Girne, Cyprus, Engineer NiDai Gungordu, has disclosed that the citizens of the country would continue to accommodate foreigners without any discrimination.
He spoke in Girne, when leaders of African Nations in North Cyprus (ANNC) led by the founder Oya Baspinarli, a Cypriot, paid him a courtesy visit.
A statement issued in Cyprus on Saturday by the President General of ANNC, Prince Isaac Ifetoluwa Ajayi, quoted him saying that the municipality will not Judge Nigerians or other Africans based on the mistake of one person.
“We attach importance to every human without discriminating between genders or religions. It is our responsibility to serve you like our citizens without discriminating but we expect you to respect the local culture and tradition by adapting easily to our local culture while living in Kyrenia.
“Be cooperative and friendly with the natives. After 1974, we lost our tradition because Cyprus became a multicultural society as foreigners started visiting”, he said.
Gungordu suggested that ANNC should commence volunteering projects like tree planting, seaside cleaning with the collaboration of Girne Belediyesi and assured that the municipal could allocate land to Nigerians in case they desire to farm in Cyprus.
The Mayor, however, disclosed that the exercise would go a long way to changing the mindset of the locals concerning Nigerians.
Earlier, Mrs Oya Baspinarli, had assured the Mayor that no effort would be spared to create a healthy communication between Africans living in Kyrenia and the Cypriots to get rid of negative mindsets within the municipality.
In his remarks, the President General of ANNC, Prince Isaac Ifetoluwa Ajayi, thanked Mayor Gungordu profusely for being a blessing to Nigerians and entire African Nations living in Northern Cyprus.
He promised to get the Nigerian Government involved in initiating a bilateral relations with the Northern Cyprus.
The President of ANNC accepted to commence volunteering programmes which will start in earnest.
Other leaders that attended the meeting, were: ANNC’s Vice President, Ambassador Musa Abdulrauf, Secretary General, Dr. Emezie Madu;
Women Coordinator, Mrs Priscilla Adaku Kama, Public Relations Officer, Miss Nwanneri Sandra Chigozie and the Organizing Secretary Mr. Olorunfemi Ola.