The Federal Government has moved to enforce Nigeria’s expatriate quota policy with the re-inauguration of an expanded taskforce on expatriate quota administration in order to achieve effective and efficient service delivery.
The action by the government followed abuses and gross violations of the policy by foreigners and some organizations in the country.
The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, condemned this practice at the re-inauguration of the task force to check these abuses.
What the Minister of Interior is saying
Aregbesola said, “These abuses include, but not limited to companies employing expatriates without approval from the ministry; allegations of companies obtaining fake permits for their expatriates; companies half-hearted or non-commitment to grooming Nigerian understudies.
- “Companies recruiting fewer than required understudies and giving them non-commensurate remunerations; illegal transfers of approvals between and among firms and expatriates.
- “Failure to train Nigerian understudies up to the standard of the expatriates they are being groomed to replace; and expatriates staying on their jobs for more than 10 years.’’
Enforcement of expatriate policy to guide against lopsided relationship, foreign domination
The Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations of the Federal Ministry of Interior, Afonja Ajibola, in a statement quoted Aregbesola as warning that there was no room for carelessness
According to Ajibola, the minister said, ‘’Where nations are careless or unmindful, it leads to untoward consequences of lopsided and imbalanced relationship, foreign domination and stunted development of the host country’s personnel and economy.’’
Aregbesola noted that these would ultimately create a dependency syndrome that Nigeria could not afford to happen as it usually breed resentment, xenophobia and bad blood between nationals and foreigners.
- The minister said, “Expatriate quota is a global best practice. It is one of the means through which countries protect their economies and stimulate development through healthy interactions with other nations.
- “It is one of the ways through which innovations and development spread globally.
- “It is also a means for regulating social and cultural interaction and avoiding swamping. When it is well followed, it fosters healthy economic, social and cultural relationships among nations.’’
The minister charged the 21-member expanded taskforce to do their work diligently and step on toes where necessary and when it becomes unavoidable.
Taskforce not a witch-hunt, expatriate quota issued for a maximum of 10 years
Aregbesola said that the taskforce was not to witch-hunt or attempt to make foreigners and their companies uncomfortable, but rather to ensure that the laws of the land were complied with by foreigners just like Nigerians.
He said that the expatriate quota policy provides an effective means for documenting foreigners’ presence, their activities and ensuring their protection as well.
He also said that expatriate quotas were issued to usually foreigners and in some cases Nigerian firms to enable them bring in high-level skilled manpower that was not readily available in the country.
The minister noted that the permits are valid for 2 years at the first instance and renewable cumulatively for a maximum of 10 years, after which the expatriate returns to his or her country.
He said, “During this period, at least two Nigerians should be groomed to take over from the expatriate.
“This policy attracts investments in our economy and also brings with it high-level manpower development and ensures technology transfer if the grooming of Nigerian understudies is done in good faith.’’
What you should know
- Recall that the Federal Government had earlier in December 2020, first inaugurated a 9-man Special Ministerial Task Force on Monitoring and Enforcement of Nigerian Expatriate Business Permit and Expatriate Quota Administration in the country.
- The task force which was set up following alleged abuses and gross violations of the expatriate quota policy by foreign investors was expected to complete its assignment in 180 days.
- The government alleged that these firms were carrying out illegal transfers of approvals between and among firms and expatriates and failing to train Nigerian understudies up to the standard of the expatriates they are being groomed to replace while they were staying on their jobs for more than 10 years.
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