Based on the recommendation of a cabinet committee set up by the ministry of Interior, the Federal Government, yesterday, approved a new visa policy for the country aimed at competing with certain assumption and dynamics that have changed over the years.
It also approved over $1.3 million for the implementation of Regulatory and Business Practices Improvement and Information Management (E-NHIS) Project for the National Health Insurance Scheme.
Information Minister, Mr. Labaran Maku, who disclosed this while briefing State House Correspondents alongside his Interior and Health counterparts, Mr. Aba Moro and Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu immediately after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, said that the new visa policy became necessary because the present economic situation in the country was characterised by high unemployment among the youths.
“When youths are not productively engaged, internal security threats and social discontents become more pronounced. The new visa policy will boost tourism, attract targeted foreign direct investment, create employment opportunities, attract skilled migrant workers and keep the national boundaries more secured”, Maku added.
Corroborating Maku’s position, Minister of Interior, Abba Moro said, “The new visa regime has been approved today by the Federal Executive Council. The assumption and dynamics on the basis of which we had our old policy have changed in line with the realities of our time.
Most significantly is the fact that we have been in recent time witnessed security challenges in our country and it becomes necessary that we must attack the problem from all sides and the way you enter and get out of Nigeria constitute a very vital component of fighting internal security.