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A bill to repeal
the Federal Immigration Act, one of the oldest in the country which
dates back to 1963 passed second reading at the House of
Representatives yesterday.

The immigration law
has several defects, including a lack of provision for the use of arms
by immigration officers. However, officials of the service have borne
arms illegally, lawmakers said yesterday and the overhaul, coming after
many amendments, will authorise such use and empower the Service other
areas.

The new law for
instance, will touch on the expatriate quota – a touchy labour issue,
particularly in the oil sector and other issues of immigration of
foreign nationals. It will also replace the present headship of the
service (Comptroller General) with a Director General.

Lawmakers noted
that most of the provisions of the 47-year old Act were no longer in
tune with present day challenges and therefore needed a long due
overhaul.

“This is why most
nations of the world take their immigration law very seriously to the
extent that it a very big issue during campaign for election into
public offices”, said Femi Gbajabiamila, (AC Lagos state.) The Nigerian
Immigration Service presently administers the Expatriate Quota system,
which outlines procedures and the size of foreign personnel working in
the country, particularly in the oil and gas sector.

Now new agency

Trade unions in the
sector have consistently raised complaints of domination by the
foreigners and have called for increased quotas for Nigerians and
technology transfer.

A proposal last
year to set up an Expatriate Quota Administration Agency, was opposed
by the federal government, which argued that it would amount to a waste
of funds since the Nigerian Immigration Service can function in that
regards if well funded.

Former Attorney
General, Michael Aondoakaa advised that funding to the NIS be improved
and that the proposal to establish a new Agency was “too shallow as it
is out to address on the Oil and Gas sector only.”

The new bill is to capture those areas according to Jerry Manwe, the
chairman House committee on Interior, because it touches on key issues
such as national security, labour, revenues and taxes among others.