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In a determined effort to address concerns of cross border criminalities , the federal government on Monday said ,it will assist the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) with all the necessary machineries required to perform their task optimally.
The government said intensifying checks on cross border criminalities such as arms smuggling, human trafficking ,smuggling of drugs among others, would boost investors confidence in investing more in Nigeria without security concerns.
The minister of Interior, Abdulrahaman Dambazzau gave the information at the decoration ceremony and commissioning of new conference hall at the service headquarters in Abuja,while pointing out further that the government is determined to attract more foreign direct investments by addressing hurdles associated with the ease of doing business.
“You know the challenges today particularly in the area of security. In your own case border security and management. This is one of the greatest security challenge we have . Our borders are porous,we must find a means of ensuring that we always protect our borders against criminals who come in with all kinds of cross border criminalities such as, movement or smuggling of arms ,smuggling of humans and drugs of course vehicular movement. These are the things we must check .
“Secondly, we must support the government in the area of moving the economy forward .We all are familiar with the presidential order on the ease of doing business. These orders are very important and must attract foreign direct investment .Security is the first in the mind of anybody who intend to invest globally would put his wealth where there is no security and that is part of the game in ensuring that we have security in the land. We must protect our borders.
He insisted that the visa on arrival must be issued within 48 hours to facilitate ease of doing business”We must be able to issue visa on time. Visa on arrival is now the path. We must ensure that those who require passport are provided passports within or before 48 hours, so this will facilitate movement and movement will facilitate business.
Business,movement, exit and entry of people is both ways while we encourage people to move in to invest in our country, we also have business people within the country moving out .If we don’t facilitate their movement then we will be put them in jeopardy. We must support the government to ensure that these things are done.
He enjoined personnel to “support what the management is doing to make a difference. It is very important, whatever comes out of Nigeria Immigration Service either positive or negative, you must be part of progress”, he said.
On his part, the Comptroller General of Immigration(CGI) Muhammadu Babandede said the service has carried out a reorganization of some of its directorates.
“The minister approved under the board, the reorganisation of Nigeria Immigration Services. Initially our directorates were not focused towards our service but last year the minister through the board approved the restructuring of NIS and they are now focused”, he said.
Stella Enenche, Abuja
