Nigerians in Italy frustrated by corruption in Abuja
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Sleaze and corruption in Aso Rock that filter unchecked into the entire governance structure at home are also telling on the lives of Nigerians in Italy where half the three million registered Nigerians cannot get their country’s passport.
Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation, Europe (NIDO-Europe) Italy Chapter Chairman, George Omo-Iduhon, says about 1.5 million registered members in that country are having a difficult time because of the scarcity of Nigerian passport.
“One of the major problems faced by Nigerians living in Italy is a shortage of Nigerian passport that can help facilitate their movement and work permit,” he said.
Nigerians are also grappling with the scarcity of passport in Nigerian embassies in all foreign countries as well as at home in Nigeria.
The irony is that the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) makes profit from the sale of passport to citizens, so the question is not about a lack of funds to produce passport booklets.
The logjam is in the financial corruption perpetrated by NIS officials who award contracts to foreign firms to produce passport booklets. There is also another scam in the engagement of consultants to handle issuance of Nigerian visa and passport.
Lawmakers announced in Abuja on December 20 discovery of how the NIS wastes funds by engaging consultants to handle visa and passport matters which NIS officials are trained to do.
House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee Chairman, Oluwole Oke, said for instance, in the Nigerian embassy “in South Africa, out of revenue of $213, a consultant took $90. Out of that $213, only $15 came to Nigeria’s purse. That particular consultant is managing 14 countries.
“Nigeria is bleeding through this window and we will continue to borrow money to finance our budget. And one person sitting down in the corner of his room is making $90 on each applicant. It will not continue.”
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Nigeria causes problems for Nigerians in Italy
Omo-Iduhon told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that NIDOE is recognised as the official platform through which Nigerians in the Diaspora can channel development efforts into their country, as reported by The Nation.
NIDOE partners with the Nigerian community, professional organisations as well as public and private businesses in areas such as foreign direct investment (FDI) professional networking,stakeholders advocacy, medical missions, educational support and skill transfer to Nigeria.
Omo-Iduhon said there are more Nigerians in Italy than in other European countries, with three million registered on the database apart from undocumented Nigerians.
“One of the major problems faced by Nigerians living in Italy is a shortage of Nigerian passport that can help facilitate their movement and work permit.
“The Nigerian government should help address this nagging problem because Italy serves as the gateway to other countries in Europe, especially for Nigerians,” he said.
“About 1.5 million Nigerians in Italy don’t have passports, even some of those that have been accepted by the Italian government have not been issued Nigerian passport which makes it difficult for them to work.”
Omo-Iduhon stressed that the supply of 500 booklets of passport to the Nigerian embassy in Italy is grossly inadequate for the number of Nigerians resident in Italy.
“Using the same sharing formula for all the counties in Europe cannot work in Italy where we have more Nigerians.
“We are appealing to the relevant government agencies and our amiable Minister for Internal Affairs, Rauf Aregbesola, to help us address this issue.
“The Chairman of NIDCOM [Nigerians in Diaspora Commission], Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has also been of great assistance to us.”
Omo-Iduhon disclosed that NIDOE elected new officials in July who are poised to improve the welfare of Nigerians in Italy.
“We just had our elections in July this year, the first thing we have set out as a team is the improved welfare of Nigerians in Italy. This is a paramount interest to us.
“We are also liaising with the Nigerian embassy in Italy to make them do the right thing at the right time and importantly, our mandate in bringing investors from Italy to Nigeria.”
Most Nigerians in Italy have legitimate businesses and Italians have been great hosts to them, he said.
He added that NIDOE is committed to growing Nigeria’s economy and members must try their best to return home to build the country.
Reps ask Aregbesola, Jere to explain visa and passport contracts
Back in Abuja, per reporting by The PUNCH, lawmakers criticised the NIS for engaging consultants to manage visa and passport-related matters at Nigerian missions across the world.
The House Public Accounts Committee on December 20 summoned Aregbesola; Interior Minister Permanent Secretary Shuaib Belgore; and acting NIS Comptroller General Idris Jere, to appear before it to address the issues
The committee issued the summons after NIS Assistant Comptroller General in charge of Budget, Olubusola Fashakin, appeared before it to represent Jere over a query issued by the Office of the federal Auditor General to the NIS.
Oke said the consultancy arrangement costs Nigeria a lot of money and should be stopped immediately since NIS personnel have been fully trained to carry out the same functions.
His words: “We visited your embassies. The Auditor General raised some queries on some missions, so we visited South Africa and Atlanta, US. We discovered that Nigeria is losing serious money through your operations.
“You engaged consultants to manage your passports and visas platform. In our opinion, NIS personnel were trained to manage visa and passport matters. That is your core mandate.
“So, on what basis are you now engaging consultants? So what are you people doing in the offices? So, your men are idle, roaming the streets?
“This is not acceptable to the parliament. Something has to be done to stop the economic wastage.
Nigeria bleeds money
“I give you a scenario: In South Africa, out of revenue of $213, a consultant took $90. Out of that $213, only $15 came to Nigeria’s purse. That particular consultant is managing 14 countries.
“Nigeria is bleeding through this window and we will continue to borrow money to finance our budget. And one person sitting down in the corner of his room is making $90 on each applicant. It will not continue.
“The Minister of Interior, the Permanent Secretary and the CG of the service are to cause appearance before this committee to speak to this issue.
“You have a letter from this committee asking you to furnish this committee with the particulars of all the consultants you have engaged and the agreement you signed with them. Nigeria is bleeding through this window.
NIS officials idle
“What are your personnel doing? Why did we train and engage you? Your personnel are idle, roaming the streets, sitting down in the offices and consultants are doing your job and taking away our money.
“The Minister of Interior, the Permanent Secretary, the CG have to come with the agreement you signed, and give reasons that they have to deny personnel trained and employed to do this work.
“You are also exposing Nigerians to risk – data protection. We owe Nigerians a high duty of care and we would discharge it.”
The committee also directed the NIS to furnish it with records of procurement and utilisation of funds collected through service-wide votes for capital projects from 2013 to 2018.