The Senate on Tuesday summoned the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbosola, to appear before it alongside the Comptroller General of the Nigerian Immigration Service, Muhammed Babandede to explain details of the visa on arrival policy introduced by the Federal government.
This was sequel to a point of order raised by the Senator representing Ekiti North Senatorial district, Olubunmi Adetunmbi, who cited Orders 42 & 52 and moved a motion on the urgent need to seek domestication of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement by Act of the National Assembly.
The lawmaker had drawn the attention of his colleagues to the fact that the executive did not carry the legislature along before the implementation of the policy.
President Buhari had announced that the new policy will come into effect from January 2020, but lawmakers argue that the policy is in furtherance of the continental free trade agreement which needs to be domesticated.
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The motion was also supported by Senators Basiru Ajibola, Enyinnaya Abaribe.
The lawmakers also asked that President Muhammadu Buhari sends the Immigration Act for amendment.
Senator Gabriel Suswam noted that “We must legislate on the policy before it is implemented. Let them bring the Immigration Act to amend so as to put this into consideration. The motion is in order and the President should send the Immigration Act for us to amend”.
In a similar view, Senator Ibikunle Amosun stated that “What this motion is trying to do is just to perfect what Mr. President has done. Since we have signed the AfCFTA, I think the next thing to do is to domesticate it.
“I want to strongly support that we ask the Executive to bring a Bill so that we can support what they want to do,” he added.
President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan explained that Nigeria has signed other treaties and agreements and the Attorney General of Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, should forward the agreement to the National Assembly for ratification.
Yetunde Adegoke
