From Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
The Federal Government has succumbed to the yearnings of stakeholders on the need to review the citizenship handbook on expatriate quota.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior Dr Oluwatoyin Akinlade, who announced the commencement of the review of the handbook, also stated that it was in response to the demands of stakeholders at the conferences in 2018 and 2021on the conduct of statutory marriages in Nigeria.
The Permanent Secretary who spoke through the Director, Special Duties in the office of the Permanent Secretary, Mrs Comfort Kabirwa, noted that attention was drawn for stakeholders engagement on the review of expatriate quota administration that was also held in 2022 whose handbook was launched on May 9, 2023.
Akinlade confirmed that the handbook had provided a roadmap for administration of expatriate quota in Nigeria, adding that the citizenship handbook is expected to follow the same pattern for a seamless operationalisation.
The Permanent Secretary assured that the outcome of the collective decision would be implemented at the end of the event, which she said, would give a robust guideline that will drive the citizenship administration in Nigeria.
Earlier, Director, Citizenship and Business, Mr John Adeniran, said that the review of the handbook on citizenship administration was based on complaints received from stateholders for the need to review the handbook in order to obtain necessary information to upgrade and meet with global best practice.
Citizens and administration can be considered the two most important components in any public administrative system. However, they are also different components because of their functionality and interconnection. Citizens under any public administration take facilities and benefits from the administration, and the administration utilises its citizens to run the administration properly.
Administration takes decisions for the citizens, and in a democratic setup, citizens have the power to choose the people of administration.