Global Mobility

OpenLife Nigeria reports that challenges and prospects about global mobility especially within Africa, which is as old as human creation, resonated recently at a breakfast meeting organized by the Nigeria-South Africa Chamber of Commerce, N-SACC.
The event which held at Eko Hotel, Lagos with a them: “Corporate Immigration Solutions & Strategies for International Mobility in a Digital Age-A Focus on Nigeria, ” reflected, among other things, on the non-functioning of ECOWAS protocol .
Observations were raised on the basis of the non-implementation of the ECOWAS protocol which out to have guaranteed ease of movements for commerce and industry.

Speaking at the event, Moremi Soyinka-Onijala, a lawyer and daughter of government critic and Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, who recently served as a director, citizenship and business department, Federal Ministry of Interior, noted that movement has been part of human history.

She clarified that only about 5 countries, out of the 16 west Africa countries, have ratified the ECOWAS protocol.
Mrs. Moremi- Soyinka Onijala explained that it is painful seeing brothers and sisters going through harrowing experience in search of golden fleece in foreign land.

She pointed out that many Africans have lost their lives in the sea while trying to cross to some European countries.
Conscious of this unending loss, she explained that former Minister of Interior, Engineer Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, under whom she served as a director, introduced lots of models for ease of travel for Nigerians as well as obtaining work and resident permits for expatriates.

However, she stressed that the volume of works which are constitutionally compulsory for the Minister to sign and approve is much and has caused unimaginable delay in the speedy execution of policy framework. She therefore called on the authority to revisit ministerial approval.

“Aregbesola is a meticulous technocrat. He recognizes skills and a staunch adherent to due process. But to improve mobility, there is need to lobby the authority to reduce ministerial approval because the workload is much, ” she requested.
As a remedy, Taiwo Adeshina, Partner in the law firm- Jackson, Etti & Edu noted that knowledge and education about immigration are very key to both government and immigrants.

He explained that his law firm specializes in offering quality immigration advisory services to individuals and corporate institutions.

Earlier, in his welcome address, Osayaba Giwa-Osagie, SAN, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce emphasized that Africa Continent can offer a lot to the world. He noted that immigration is an integral part globalization and the Nigeria-South Africa Chamber of Commerce is in the forefront in driving the realization.

He urged stakeholders to take full advantage of the Chamber’s offering to achieve their desire business and cultural objectives.