Senate to conduct NIS status inquiry on resumption

The Senate may conduct a status inquiry on the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) with a view to ascertain the financial relation between the Service and its contracting partners and how it benefits the national economy

This view was canvassed by senators at the opening of the five days public hearing on the Medium Term Expenditure Framework MTEF and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) being interrogated by the Senate to shore up revenue sources for the 2021 fiscal year.

Senator Yusuf Abubakar Yusuf Taraba Central and Senator Gershom Bassey called for the probe of the contract relation between the NIS and its contracting partners over the disturbing sharing formula of revenue generated by the contracting firm Contek.

“This calls for a full-scale status investigation when we return in September. We are paying so much to this company and getting so less in return we need to investigate when we return in September,” Senator Bassey said

Lawmakers learnt that charges on the resident permit were exorbitant without commensurate return in revenue due to a curious contract agreement that left the nation with a paltry share of the revenue from the deal.

Senators learnt that the earlier agreement between the Ministry of Interior and Contek, Nigeria earned only 23 per cent of the revenue while the firm goes with 72 per cent.

Comptroller General of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) Mohammed Banbandede said the Service has the capacity and capability to undertake the production and administration of the task of the resident permit being undertaken by Contek on behalf of the country.

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He said the agreement has been skewed in such a way that the country works for Contek as against Nigerian government and her people.

According to him, the country got N5bn as it’s share of revenue after raising N20bn in 2018; Nigeria got 23bn after raising N40bn in 2019.

He said the immigration service is a cash-cow for the Federal Government if properly harnessed to carry out its mandate pointing out that the nation has 42 missions across the globe which can generate appreciable revenue for the country vide consular services to Nigerians and visitors.

The Comptroller General said the high rate of the resident permit was already causing a social problem with many foreigners engaging in fake marriages to escape paying the resident permit.

He said this is a new form of fraud being the consequence of the insensitive charges especially as the amount should not be more than $500 in view of economic realities.

These monies were raised from resident permit which is currently being charged at $2000 after a 100 per cent fee rise, recently.

Senator Akinyelure had earlier alleged that immigration officers were engaged in back door registering of immigrants for $5000.

The official amounts of $2000 for a resident permit was considered to be high especially as it scared away foreigners from the country thereby leading to dwindling revenue and foreign investment in the country.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

Senate to conduct NIS status inquiry