THE House of Representatives yesterday commenced an initiative aimed at giving the nation a new expatriate quota regime.
The initiative came through a bill sponsored by Warman Ogoriba, a member representing Yenegoa/Okpokuma federal constituency in Bayelsa State.
Also, the House has asked its Committee on Customs to investigate harassment of innocent Nigerians by Customs officers across the country just as the chamber directed the Comptroller General of Customs to stop his men from disturbing innocent vehicle owners on Nigerian roads under the guise of checking vehicle particulars.
Leading the debate on the bill entitled “A bill for an Act to establish the Nigeria expatriate quota administration agency to regulate and control the employment of expatriates in Nigeria and provide training opportunities to Nigerians who understudy the expatriates and for related matters,” Ogoriba noted that expatriate quota administration in the country was fraught with lapses and constituted a major source of capital flight.
He also said that the major thrust of the policy on expatriate quota was to regulate the influx of expatriates and ensure that the right calibre of foreign experts was allowed into the country to transfer expertise to Nigerians. The lawmaker regretted that the policy had been subjected to serious abuse and in most cases, expatriates that came to Nigeria left the country at the expiration of their period without allowing Nigerians to understudy them to get the right expertise.
Ogoriba further argued that the creation of a separate agency charged with the sole responsibility of handling expatriate quota and ensuring transfer of technology would assist the country in getting the technology required while the economy would witness a boost.
He further disclosed that in the course of working on the bill, he visited the Nigeria Immigration Service offices and the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission and discovered that there was no coordination between them. When established, he said, the agency would fill the gap and reposition the system.
Supporting the bill, Alhaji Abdul Ningi from Ningi/ Warji federal constituency of Bauchi State, said that there was no doubt that the expatriate quota administration needed to be overhauled because of palpable loopholes and that the creation of a special agency would sanitise the system. Samson Osagie from Edo State admitted there was an urgent need to reappraise the system and make it work. He urged members to ask themselves whether the expatriate quota administration in the country was giving the nation’s economy what was expected of it and noted that something was missing. He concluded that the only way out was the establishment of the agency, which the bill sought.
The speaker put the question and it was unanimously resolved that the second reading be done. The bill was subsequently referred to the House Committees on Interior and Justice.
Discussing a motion of urgent national importance, the House also mandated the Committee on Customs to investigate allegations that Customs men mounted road blocks outside border posts to arrest vehicles that have been registered by the Federal Road Safety Commission and Vehicle Inspection Officers.
Moving the motion, Minority Leader, Mohammed Ali Ndume, on behalf of nine other members accused the Customs of failure to check vehicles at the border posts, but now moved to national highways to arrest innocent people and confiscate their vehicles.
As at the time of moving the motion, Ndume said that over 100 vehicles had been impounded in Borno State alone, noting that innocent people were suffering similar treatment all over the country.
He argued that the excuse by the Customs that the vehicles were undervalued or that Customs papers were not correct was not tenable as the vehicles passed through the border posts manned by Customs officials.
Nkiruka Onyejeocha, who claimed to be a victim, decried the action of the Customs, saying that it was the same Customs officials that connived with smugglers to beat traps set by the Customs authority.
She said that a car she bought at the Apapa ports in Lagos was impounded few kilometres away from the port and that she was forced to pay new charges before the car was released.
Aro Bamidele, in his contribution, said it was wrong for the Customs to leave the border posts and moved to the streets to arrest registered cars.
“There is a procedure for doing things, the Customs is expected to check goods entering the country from border posts and entry points, but leaving the border posts for the shelves to remove goods and impound cars is out of the way and should be discouraged,” he argued.
Samson Positive frowned at the negligence of the Customs at the border posts, noting that it was wrong to arrest people on the streets, adding that it showed that the Customs had failed in its primary duties of protecting the borders.
Contributing, Deputy Minority Whip, Femi Gbajabiamila, said it was in Nigeria that the Customs could arrest innocent people driving registered cars. “It is absurd and should be discouraged,” he said.