Reps back limiting expatriate workers to boost employment

Amendment to the Immigration Act by the House of Representatives will give the recent Executive Order 5 signed by President Muhammadu Buhari legal backing, House Leader Femi Gbajabiamila has said.

The amendment, passed by the House last week following the adoption of a report, will restrict the Nigeria Immigration Service from issuing Work Permit to foreign expatriates in fields, where Nigerians have requisite knowledge and skills.

Gbajabiamila, who sponsored the bill on the matter, said in a statement by his media aide, Olanrewaju Smart, yesterday in Abuja that it was in tandem with the yearnings by Nigerians to get a fair deal.

“This Immigration Act, 2015 Amendment Bill I sponsored in July, 2016 preceded the Executive Order made by President Muhammadu Buhari on similar matter on February 5, 2018 and will considerably provide legal teeth to ensure implementation of the presidential order beyond tenure of the current President.”

He said the amendment was the House response to the growing unemployment in the country.

“This is a further step taken by the legislature to find solutions to unemployment, in line with the state of emergency, which the House demands from the federal government.”

The bill provides that Section 38 of the Act be amended by deleting the existing subsections (4) (5) (6) and creating new subsections to provide strict measures to regulate influx of foreigners in the labour market against the Nigerian interest.