GRBusiness
NIS in the eye of storm over complicity in the visa-on-arrival issues
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has witnessed many changes since it was taken out of the Nigeria Police in 1958. However, this is the first time NIS will be in the eye of the storm over complicity concerning allegation over the indefinite suspension of the issuance of biometric visa-on-arrival to foreigners who enter Nigeria from countries without bilateral agreements with Nigeria.
However, investigations by the News Agency of Nigeria [NAN] at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, had revealed that the NIS had suspended the biometric visa-on-arrival and had issued the “ordinary visa-on-arrival’’ to visitors coming into the country.
But in a swift reaction, the Deputy Comptroller of NIS, James Sunday, in a media report had denied the suspension of visa-on-arrival allegation.
Besides, media reports had also revealed that NIS had appointed private organsiations, Online Integrated Services and New Works, to collect charges on its behalf without remitting same into the appropriate account at the Central Bank of Nigeria [CBN], which contravened the Treasury Single Account [TSA] guidelines.
While Sunday denied the allegation of the indefinite suspension of the issuance of biometric visa-on-arrival to foreigners coming into Nigeria from countries without bilateral agreements with Nigeria, he did not deny the appointment of two private organisations, Online Integrated Services and New Works, contracted by NIS to collect revenue on its behalf.
On its website, OIS says “it is the official partner of a number of diplomatic missions and a specialist Nigerian visa and passport application agency. It also partner international schools and act as a bridge for Nigerian students who wish to acquire quality education in top-rated schools abroad”.
The other private firm, New Works, is not listed as a company on the internet.
However, the Deputy Comptroller explained that the visa-on-arrival policy is an Executive Order to promote the Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria and as such cannot be suspended.
“There is no way NIS can suspend the biometric visa-on-arrival because the service is meant to improve ease-of-doing business in Nigeria. The biometric on visa-on-arrival is the same. What it means is that visa has been turned into electronic format. The federal government has no intention of suspending it.
“The biometric was introduced to intensify effort in making things easy for the foreigners and more features will soon be added to the visa in order to capture individuals biometrically”, he said in an interview.
The Deputy Comptroller further said that the government is making efforts to revive the economy of the country and that the Ease of Doing Business policy is one of the avenues to attain that feat.
The reason “we are doing the biometric is to intensify the security of the country and it is an international best practice”, he explained further.
Due to the non-activation of the foreign currency element of the TSA scheme after six years, all MDAs collecting foreign currencies are required to remit foreign-denominated currencies directly into accounts designated to them at the CBN.
However, reports have it that many MDAs have been contravening this by running accounts for this purpose in various commercial banks.
Industry expert and MD/CEO of Innovectives Limited, an e-payment company, Emmanuel Agha was quoted as saying NIS has a history of thwarting government initiatives.
According to Agha, for instance, the payment for the issuance of international passport has been removed from the TSA system.
He noted that the non-commencement of the foreign currency phase of the TSA is perhaps because some persons in the current government were profiting from it.
Shedding light on the matter, the President of Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria [ISPON], Dr. Yele Okeremi said that if the allegation that some private firms were charging new arrivals into Nigeria, it is another threat against the success of TSA, which arguably is this current government’s greatest accomplishment.
Meanwhile, on June 12, 2018, the federal government introduced the biometric visa-on-arrival, which costs foreigners $110, but was suspended a day later due to controversies concerning the charges.
Source: TechEconomy.ng
Finance
Banks To Now Charge 0.5% Cybersecurity Levy As Directed By CBN; Netizens React
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has directed deposit money banks in the country to start charging 0.5% cybersecurity levy on some transactions done by their customers.
The apex bank gave the directive in a circular dated May 6, 2024 and sent to all commercial, merchant, non-interest and payment service banks as well as mobile money operators and payment service providers.
“Following the enactment of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) (amendment) Act 2024 and pursuant to the provision of Section 44 (2) (a) of the Act, ‘a levy of 0.5% (0.005) equivalent to a half percent of all electronic transactions value by the business specified in the Second Schedule of the Act’, is to be remitted to the National Cybersecurity Fund (NCF), which shall be administered by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA),” the circular partly read.
The apex bank said that the implementation of the levy would start two weeks from the date of the circular.
“The levy shall be applied at the point of electronic transfer origination, then deducted and remitted by the financial institution. The deducted amount shall be reflected in the customer’s account with the narration, ‘Cybersecurity Levy’. Deductions shall commence within two weeks from the date of this circular for all financial institutions and the monthly remittance of the levies collected in bulk to the NCF account domiciled at the CBN by the fifth business day of every subsequent month,” the circular said
The apex bank added that this new levy will not be applied on transactions such as loan disbursements and repayments, salary payments, intra-account transfers within the same bank or between different banks for the same customer, intra-bank transfers between customers of the same bank.
Also exempted from the levy were inter-branch transfers within a bank, cheque clearing and settlements, Letters of Credits, Banks’ recapitalisation-related funding only bulk funds movement from collection accounts, savings and deposits including transactions involving long-term investments, among others.
This current implementation however is not sitting well with some netizens as they reacted to the new development.
Here were some of their reactions from X.
Finance
EFCC Chairman Tasks Nigerian Youths Against Crimes And Fraudulent Acts
The Chairman of Economic Finance Crime Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has stressed the need for Nigerian Youth to see themselves as agents of positive change that have a lot to contribute to the socioeconomic development of the Nation.
Speaking at the 2nd edition of a Leadership Trainings Programme in Abuja, Olukoyede, who was represented by the Head Enlightenment and Re-orientation unit, (EFCC), Aisha Mohammed, said the commission’s dream is to see the youth contribute meaningfully to the society, emphasizing on the need to work together in bringing positive change to society.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Boss declared the readiness of his agency to work with all Stakeholders, including the youth towards changing the narrative and reposition the country to greater exploit.
Also speaking, the representative of the Executive Secretary of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), Sonny Echono, appealed to the youths is to eschew social vices that could deter their full potential in life.
Other speakers at the event, including the Chairperson, Zero Tolerance for Social Immoralities Initiative (ZEITI) Africa, Rasak Jeje called on all stakeholders to join hands in collective pursuit of empowering new generation of leaders to curb the rising tides of social Vice among Nigerian youths.
The Chairperson, Zero Tolerance for Social Immoralities Initiative (ZEITI) Africa, Rasak Jeje made the call while addressing journalists at the 2nd edition of it Leadership Trainings Programme in Abuja on Thursday.
He said the training was aimed to intimate students leaders with knowledge and insights that will help them drive positive change and become exemplary leaders in their respective spheres.
Finance
AISA Has Refunded The Fees Paid By Yahaya Bello To EFCC
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says the American International School Abuja (AISA) has refunded the fees paid by the immediate past governor of Kogi state, Yahaya Bello, for his children attending the school.
In response to a letter addressed to the Lagos zonal commander of the EFCC, the school said $845,852 was paid in tuition “since the 7th of September 2021 to date”.
AISA said the sum to be refunded is $760,910 because it had deducted educational services already rendered.
“Please forward to us an official written request, with the authentic banking details of the EFCC, for the refund of the above-mentioned funds as previously indicated as part of your investigation into the alleged money laundering activities by the Bello family.
Since the 7th September 2021 to date, $845,852.84 (Eight Hundred and Forty-Five Thousand, Eight Hundred and Fifty Two US Dollars and eighty four cents) in tuition and other fees has been deposited into our Bank account.
We have calculated the net amount to be transferred and refunded to the State, after deducting the educational services rendered as $760,910.84. (Seven Hundred and Sixty Thousand, Nine Hundred and Ten US Dollars and Eighty Four cents).
No further additional fees are expected in respect of tuition as the students’ fees have now been settled until they graduate from ASIA.”
In a chat with The Cable, the spokesperson of the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, confirmed that the school has refunded the money.
‘’The money has been paid into public account,” Dele Oyewale was quoted as saying
-
News4 days ago
First Man To Receive Pig Kidney Transplant Has Died
-
Politics4 days ago
“Supporting Sim Fubara Was A Mistake” – Wike Announces
-
Health4 days ago
FP2030 Report Links Family Planning & Gender Equality
-
Politics3 days ago
President Tinubu Bans Purchase Of Petrol-dependent Vehicles By FEC Members
-
News3 days ago
Math Teacher Accused Of Having Sex With 2 Students And Getting Pregnant For One Tearfully Reveals The Baby Was Taken Away From Her
-
Entertainment2 days ago
Men Of The Lagos State Police Command Have Arrested Singer Portable
-
News15 hours ago
The Peruvian Government Has Officially Classified Transgender, Nonbinary And Intersex People As “Mentally ill”
-
Entertainment15 hours ago
Why I’m Not Ready For Kids – Singer Burna Boy Reveals