The Minister of Interior, Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd) has warned that Nigeria would no longer tolerate delay in issuance of visa to its nationals from any country.
The minister gave the warning on Monday in Abuja at a meeting with the Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, to resolve some of the issues militating against visa issuance.
Dambazau described as quite embarrassing, the delay in the issue of visa to Nigerians, pointing out that the problem had to be resolved.
In attendance at the meeting were the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami and the Comptroller-General of Immigration, Mohammed Babandede.
His words: “It is embarrassing that one will want visa and will have unnecessary delay from the issuance countries.
“We as a country needs to take our stand; we should deal with any country the way they deal with us on visa issuance.
“They should not think that we need them more than they need us.”
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Corroborating the minister’s stand, Babandede said, “What we are saying is that we as a country, we would also like to retaliate.
“Anybody who delays visa for our nationals, we would also do the same as a country because we have a pride as a nation.”
Earlier, Onyeama said that the meeting was to enhance ease of doing business in the country.
“As part of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council, the issue, as you know, some of the deliverables are there and it is for consular services that we also have to work hard together.
“So, we have always felt that we should all try and be speaking to each other.
“The Ministry of Interior, Immigration Services and ourselves, our embassies and missions and consulates are all working under one roof,” he said.
