ABUJA – The Senate has summoned the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, to appear before its Committees on Judiciary and Interior to explain details of the Visa on Arrival Policy announced by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The lawmakers reached the decision on Tuesday’s plenary after debating on a Point of Order raised by Senator, Olubunmi Adetumbi representing Ekiti North.
President Buhari had announced at the the ASWAN Forum in Egypt that the new policy which is aimed at encouraging free movement in the continent would commence in January, 2020.
But some lawmakers during debate on the matter say the new policy lacks legislative backing, adding that it needs to be properly domesticated.
The import of the visa on arrival policy is that without making any prior visa application in their various countries, citizens of all African states would be able to board a plane to Nigeria where they will get a visa.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Senate has reintroduced a bill seeking to establish the Nigerian Peace Corps.
The bill titled ‘Nigerian Peace Corps (Establishment) Bill, 2019 being sponsored by Senator Ali Ndume (Borno South), passed the first reading during Tuesday’s plenary.
Meanwhile, the bill has also scaled first reading in the House of Representatives.
Recall that both the Houses of the National Assembly, had in 2017 passed the Nigerian Peace Corps Establishment Bill but was rejected by President Muhammad Buhari.
However, President Buhari did not assent to the bill citing paucity of funds and duplication of functions of other security agencies as the main reasons for the rejection of the bill.
With the renewed relationship between the Executive and the Legislature, the President might assent to the Nigerian Peace Corps Bill if passed by the National Assembly.
