The Ministry of Interior, headed by Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has come under fire over its expatriate quotas, News About Nigeria reports.
Tunji-Ojo, who appeared before the National Assembly on Wednesday to defend the ministry’s budget, was reprimanded over what the Assembly termed misuse.
According to the joint committee of the National Assembly, comprising the Senate and House of Representatives, the issuance of the expatriate quotas served as an avenue for expatriates to steal jobs from Nigerians.
The minister, however, noted that the interior ministry surpassed its N600 million budgetary target as it raked in N1.195 billion in October.
According to him, the N380 million projected revenue from marriage was exceeded by over N500 million, and N892.7 million was realised as of October 31, 2023.
This, he maintained, was in addition to the projected revenue from expatriate quotas which was also exceeded by about N600 million extra.
Senator Adams Oshiomhole, Chairman of the Joint Committee, noted that while it was commendable that the ministry surpassed its revenue targets on the issuance of expatriates quotas, the policy made it easy for the expatriates to steal the jobs meant for Nigerians in the country.
He further urged the minister to regulate the issuance of the quotas, adding that he had proof that prisoners from foreign lands were working in Nigeria as construction workers.
He added that it was disconcerting because oil companies in the country have also been involved in the age-long fraud by making Nigeria’s qualified engineers work under foreign technicians.
Olubunmi, however, allayed the fears of the Assembly, assuring them that his ministry has developed a project, the Expatriate Employee Network, which, according to him, will serve as job protection for Nigerians.
