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Heads to roll at the Immigration Service over flouting of visa policy

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Heads to role at the Immigration Service over flouting of visa policy

Uneasy calm has gripped senior officials of the Nigerian Immigration Service, over the failure to implement government new policy on no-visa entry for investors.

The issue took a different dimension on Tuesday, as work almost came to a standstill when it was heard that names of defaulting officials were being compiled by the supervisory ministry.

Visits at some regional offices of the Service showed some of the staff literally washing their hands off from a recent complaint said to have been leveled against Nigerian officials by would-be investors from the Far East countries, including South Korea and Japan.

It could be recalled that in its bid to lure back foreign investors, who left the country in the wake of government’s stringent measures, aimed at controlling the fall of naira value over dollar, the federal government announced introducing visa-on-arrival policy programme.

The policy is supposed to make it possible for visitors, including tourists and portfolio investors to come into the country and be issued visa upon arrival at any of Nigeria’s international point of entry.

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But the complaints received from some officials of some embassies in the country implicated officials at the borders for having frustrated visa processing for those, foreigners that had taken advantage of the policy to come in.

A source at the Presidency said the attention of President Muhammadu Buhari was drawn to the development adding that the Minister of Internal Affairs was asked to look into the matter.

“From the complaint, all officials at the international airports: immigration, customs, NDLEA and the DSS were supposed to be investigated on this. But it was the Immigration that was alleged to have been more culpable,” the source disclosed.

But a senior official of the service speaking strictly on condition of anonymity confirmed that though there has been intention of government to liberate visa issuance in the country, there has not been any serious commitment towards implementing this.

“Till date, apart from the verbal statement, there is yet to be a legislature amending the old order, otherwise, whoever does anything to the contrary is on his or her own,” he said.

 

 

 

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0 Comments

  1. JOHNSON PETER

    October 19, 2016 at 8:19 am

    implementation of policies is always a major problem of the government.
    government should see to that policy of no visa, no entry.

  2. yanju omotodun

    October 19, 2016 at 8:38 am

    policy of no visa no entry is imbibed by all countries . so Nigeria should not be an exception. They should implement it.

  3. david craig

    October 19, 2016 at 8:45 am

    they would flout policies…..just for their own selfish interest and still blame the government for the consequences

  4. Olawale james anifowoshe

    October 19, 2016 at 9:03 am

    what kind of a policy says no visa for investors, then how do they plan on growing the economy. these people are coming to invest and grow the country,and FG feels the need to frustrate them. this is unacceptable

  5. Animashaun Ayodeji

    October 19, 2016 at 10:03 am

    Only a blind person will want to stress his helper. These investors are coming into the country to invest, the process of getting visa is stressful, investors need to enjoy the benefit of coming to a collapsed economy by not applying for visa.

  6. princewill ebuka

    October 19, 2016 at 10:54 am

    For any investor……visa application shouldn’t be a problem. you are coming to invest in an economy, following due process isn’t a bad idea. this is how it is done in other countries.

    • Joy Madu

      October 19, 2016 at 3:50 pm

      princewill it is done in other country because they are developed not in nigeria that is not developed. nigeria needs investors to expand there country at all cost

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