NCBN appreciates Yakub, Onyeama, Dabiri-Erewa, others for addressing complaints of Nigerians at foreign missions

A GROUP under the auspices of “Nigerian and Canadian Business Network” has shown its appreciation to the Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Buba Yakub and all members of the committee for addressing the treatment of Nigerians at the Nigeria  High Commissions, across the globe, with dispatch.

The group also extended its appreciation to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Muhammed Babandede, Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa among others.

The appreciation came on the heels of a two-day investigative hearing organised by the Committee on Foreign Affairs to address issues affecting Nigerians in other countries.

The public hearing was called because of a motion on the floor by Ndudi Elumelu on poor service and corruption in missions which was referred to the House Foreign Affairs committee.

A statement issued, yesterday, by the group’s chairman, King Wale Adesanya, reads, “On behalf of Nigerians in Canada, NCBN would like to take this opportunity to thank the Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Affairs Yusuf Buba Yakub, and all members for addressing the issue of the treatment of Nigerians at the Nigeria High Commissions globally in regard to surcharges.

“The Hearing today was a great success and was full to capacity from participants around the globe. 

“We also will like to thank CG. Muhammed Babandede , the Comptroller General (CG) of the Nigeria Immigration Service NIS, for an excellent presentation and explanation of the issues. 

“Also, our able Honourable Minister, Geoffrey Onyema for your speech and agreeing to harmonise the multiple changes.  We appreciate the leadership of the Chairman, NIDCOM, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa for looking after our Diaspora issues. 

“We hope these concerns stated will be addressed promptly. 

“We recognized the support of all NIDO Chairmen, especially Chairman Obed Muonago for speaking collectively for all Diasporans.”

The investigative hearing was set up following deluge of complaints from Nigerians about their treatments at the country’s foreign missions across the globe.

Prominent amongst the complaints from Nigerians in Diaspora was the issue of levies and charges imposed on them by the foreign missions.

But addressing the issue yesterday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyema, explained that the charges were due to paucity of funds to run operations.

Onyeama also noted that the charges had been in existence before but they were only suspended temporarily.

The 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 planned to make Nigerians in diaspora have access to a 24/7 call centre in Nigeria which would take complaints from across the world.

In his presentation, the CG of the NIS decried the shortage of passport booklets, which he described 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.

Reacting to the remarks of both the minister and CG of the NIS,  Chairman/Chief Executive of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, noted that the presentations by Babandede and Onyema “have shed a lot of light on happenings and innovations going on in immigration.”

She said, “We are going to set up a NIDCOM app which can be downloaded by all Nigerians in diaspora to even bring in their complaints and all. Also, the diaspora commission is very soon going to launch an Internet radio, where we are going to have communication all the time with our brothers and sisters in diaspora. So, the key thing is communication.”