Business
FG states reason for $100 charges, others imposed on Nigerians in diaspora
The Federal Government said that the imposition of charges on Nigerians in diaspora is due to a lack of funds to run operations at the foreign missions.
The Federal Government has stated why it imposed charges and levies on Nigerians in the diaspora at their various foreign missions.
The government said that the imposition is due to a lack of funds to run operations at the foreign missions.
This was made known when the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyema, and the Controller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Muhammed Babandede, both appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs in Abuja on Tuesday where they explained how they were addressing issues affecting Nigerians in other countries.
Onyema, at the 2-day investigative hearing organized by the committee, noted that the charges had been in existence and were only suspended.
READ: Naira 4 Dollar: Nigerians in diaspora remit $40 million in one week
What the Minister for Foreign Affairs is saying
The Foreign Affairs Minister said, “The $100 they (Nigerians in the US) said has been added is voluntary; it is just for those who want to have their biometrics done without an appointment. If you wait for your appointment, you will get it (done) and not pay. But if you want it the same day, then pay $100.”
Onyema also said his ministry has concluded plans to make Nigerians in the diaspora have access to a 24/7 call centre in Nigeria that would take complaints from across the world.
READ: Nigeria’s capital inflows hit a new record low of US$9.7bn since 2016
What the Controller General of NIS is saying
On the other hand, the Controller General of the NIS described the shortage of passport booklets as the biggest challenge facing the service.
Babandede said, “The passport is the biggest challenge. When we talk about passports, the challenges are ours; some of the challenges are with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and some are with Nigerians themselves. On our side, we have the huge challenge of scarcity of passport booklets.”
He lamented that the NIS had only 47 offices across Nigeria despite the huge population of the country.
READ: NIS generates N39 billion in 12 months, may lose 2% to on-going probe
The Chairman/Chief Executive of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, while acknowledging the presentations by Babandede and Onyema, which shed a lot of light on happenings and innovations going on in immigration, she revealed that her agency is going to set up a NIDCOM app which can be downloaded by all Nigerians in diaspora for their complaints and all.
She also said that the diaspora commission will soon launch an Internet radio, where they are going to have communication all the time with our brothers and sisters in the diaspora. So, the key thing is communication.”
What this means
- This charge by foreign missions is only experienced by Nigerians in Diaspora who wish to get express service from these missions.
- Those that still go through the normal channel of appointment will not bear this extra cost.
- Nigerian missions which have been hit by cash shortage are looking for ways to generate extra revenue for their operations.
Business
NPA suspends Electronic Call-up for trucks at APM terminal, Apapa
This follows a fallout of the dispute between members of the Maritime Workers Union and the management of AP Moller Terminals.
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has announced the suspension of the Electronic Call-up for trucks (ETO) for cargoes bound for the AP Moller Terminal (APMT) in Apapa.
This follows the disruption of operations at the terminal which is a fallout of the dispute between members of the Maritime Workers Union and the management of AP Moller Terminals.
This disclosure is contained in a series of tweet posts by NPA on its official Twitter handle on Thursday, April 15, 2021.
The NPA said that while it is working towards resolving the dispute between both parties, APMT will not receive or exit cargoes for the next 24 hours.
The tweet from NPA reads, ”Following a dispute with the management of AP Moller Terminals at the Lagos Ports Complex, Apapa, members of the Maritime Workers Union have today, April 15, disrupted operations at the terminal.
While the NPA is working toward resolving the dispute between the two parties, APMT will not be able to receive or exit cargoes for the next 24 hours.
The authority hereby urges stakeholders to please take note, as ETO tickets will not be issued to APMT bound cargoes.’’
What you should know
- There were earlier reports that the Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN) on April 15 shut down AP Moller Terminal (APMT) in Apapa.
- The President-General of MWUN, Mr Adewale Adeyanju, disclosed that the grounding of activities at the terminal is due to the expiration of the one week plus notice given to the management of the terminal to adhere to the laws of the land.
Following a dispute with the management of AP Moller Terminals at the Lagos Ports Complex, Apapa, members of the Maritime Workers Union have today, Thursday April 15, 2021, disrupted operations at the terminal.
— Nigerian Ports (@nigerianports) April 15, 2021
Business
NCC issues NIN enrollment guideline for foreigners living in Nigeria
All legally resident foreigners are required to obtain a NIN just like Nigerian citizens.
Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) has issued NIN enrollment guidelines for foreigners living in Nigeria.
According to NCC, all persons in Nigeria who use mobile networks are required to register their SIM cards and link them with the NIN database.
This was disclosed by the commission via its Twitter handle on Thursday.
READ: Here are 6 directives NCC gave MTN, Airtel, others on SIMs without NIN
It tweeted, “All persons in Nigeria who use mobile networks are required to register their SIM cards and link them with the NIN database.
All legally resident foreigners (i.e. non-Nigerians living and working in Nigeria) are to obtain a NIN just like Nigerian citizens. They can do this by submitting valid resident/work permits at NIMC enrolment centres.
However, foreigners on tourist or visiting visa are to tender their international passports to acquire a SIM. But where such a visiting foreigner or tourist’s immigration status changes to residency or work permit, he/she will be required to obtain NIN and link the registered SIM.”
READ: Beware of fake NIN app, NIMC warns Nigerians
It added that the NIN does not confer citizenship on foreigners but only serves to identify a person (citizens and legal residents).
— ncc.gov.ng (@NgComCommission) April 15, 2021
