…Interior Ministry reaffirms FG’s commitment to ease of doing business
By Mohammed Mohammed
The Vice President, Human Resource, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Mr. Olukayode Ogunleye, on Thursday affirmed that shell and Exxon Mobil will not leave Nigeria even as the insecurity in the Niger Delta persists.
Ogunleye, who made the assertion during a courtesy call on the Ministry of Interior in Abuja, averred that the Nigerian government has a large share in it and therefore a critical stakeholder in the company.
Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Dr. Shuaib Belgore, said the Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to the ease of doing business with stakeholders in order to ensure the smooth flow of foreign investors and investment into Nigeria.
While acknowledging the tough challenges in the region, Ogunleye, added: “Despite the very tough and trying environment around the Niger-Delta Region where most of their Oil wells are shut down due to insecurity of lives and opportunities, we are still forging ahead to ensure equity diversification of their business to build smaller emerging business to assist in growing the Nigerian Economy from both the deepwater business to the new Nigerian Natural Liquidified Gas (NNLG).
This, he said, will enhance the transfer of gas and power to Aba, Ota and Agbara, adding that all these are huge businesses in which the government of Nigeria owns large shares.
Belgore, reiterated that the mandate of the Ministry includes the formulation and implementation of policies and programmes of government that enhances internal security, public safety, an enabling business environment for domestic and foreign investors and the maintenance of citizenship integrity.
He said the ministry has the responsibility of processing citizenship application and the mandate of registration of statutory marriages, issuance of business permits to foreign companies and approvals of expatriate quota allocation.
He assured that the division of enforcement investigation and inspection in the Ministry has the responsibility to ensure compliance to the updated guidelines on the administration of expatriate quota and other business instruments in Nigeria which hopefully shall enable government provide a conducive working business environment for all stakeholders.
It is not to witch hunt but rather to reposition the management of these instruments of business for greater efficiency and effectiveness; thereby curbing illegality and corruption in the system.
He affirmed that the Ministry is ready to collaborate with Shell Nigeria and hopes to maintain a good working relationship that enhances the economic growth of the Nation.
Present during the visit are the Director of Citizenship and Business, Mrs. Moremi Soyinka-Onijala, Director General Services, Mr. Sylvanus Esinwoke, Director Press and Public Relations, Mrs. Blessing Lere-Adams.
In another development, this time in Enugu, the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has averred that over 250,000 international passports are lying at the centre, waiting for collection by their bonafide owners.
The Minister bemoaned the reluctancy and unwillingness of some Nigerians to collect their passports, which runs into hundreds of thousands.
Aregbesola, made the disclosure at commissioning of the Enhanced Electronic Passport Facility (EEPF) and the Passport Production Centre in Enugu.
Recall that the passport production centre was inaugurated 3 months after the commissioning of that of the South-west centre in Ibadan, with the main purpose of serving the entire South-eastern Nigeria.
