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From Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
Following the indiscriminate abuse of expatriate quota applications by companies operating in Nigeria, Federal Government has set up a task force with a mandate to collect all taxes from defaulting firms from 2019 to date and audit all expatriate quota applications within the period.
The task force will audit all applications and fish out expatriates with fake permits employed by those companies. They are also to verify compliance of expatriate quota by companies and confirm the contact details of all expatriates in Nigeria.
The task force will also identify those expatriates that have abused their stay and exceeded the seven years maximum approval. The panel is expected to authenticate the personal taxes of all expatriates.
While inaugurating the task force in Abuja, the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, noted that the step was to protect the economy, monitor the safety and activities of Nigerians, insisting that the step was not to witch-hunt anybody.
“We are not witch-hunting anybody and we should not be taken for granted” he declared.
According to Aregbesola, the expatriate quota is a global best practice and a means through which countries protect their economies and stimulate development through healthy interactions with other nations.
The panel, however, was first inaugurated on December 1, 2020, but some developments necessitated the expansion of the membership of the task force and its relaunch.
“Expatriate quota is one of the ways through which innovations and developments spread globally.
It is also a means for regulating social and cultural interaction and avoiding swamping. When it is well followed, it fosters healthy economic, social and cultural relationships among nations. In addition, it provides an effective means for documenting foreigners’ presence, their activities and ensuring their protection and wellbeing.
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“Expatriate quotas are usually issued to foreign and (in some cases) Nigerian firms to enable them to bring in high-level skilled manpower that is not readily available in the country.
“The permit is valid for two years at the first instance and renewable cumulatively for a maximum of 10 years, after which the expatriate returns to his or her country. During this period, at least two Nigerians should be groomed to take over from the expatriates.
“This policy attracts investments in our economy and also brings with it high-level manpower development and ensures technology transfer if the grooming of Nigerian understudies is done in good faith. This is in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s promise to provide 100 million jobs for Nigerians.
“The opportunity to bring along their own people is an incentive for foreign investment and job creation.
“Regrettably, however, there have been abuses and gross violations of this laudable policy. These abuses include, but are not limited to; companies employing expatriates without approval from the ministry and allegations of companies obtaining fake permits for their expatriates; companies half-hearted or non-commitment to grooming Nigerian understudies.
“Others are companies recruiting fewer than required understudies and giving them non-commensurate remunerations; Illegal transfers of approvals between and among firms and expatriates; failure to train Nigerian understudies up to the standard of the expatriates they are being groomed to replace; and
expatriates staying in their jobs for more than 10 years.
“Where nations are careless or unmindful, it leads to untoward consequences of lopsided and imbalanced relationship, foreign domination and stunted development of the host country’s personnel and economy and ultimately creates a dependency syndrome.
“These in turn breed resentment, xenophobia and bad blood between nationals and foreigners. We must avoid these,” he warned.
