By Gabriel Ewepu – Abuja

As the Federal Government commences Visa-On-Arrival policy, Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, Monday, welcomed the policy but with concerns expressed.

Speaking on the development the Convener, CDNDC, Ariyo-Dare Atoye, in a chat with Vanguard, described the policy as not being a bad policy said they are concerned about the intelligence level of the Nigerian Immigration Service, NIS, to track those coming in with wrong intentions.

The visa-on-arrival policy by the government commenced on January 1, 2020, with the aim of tackling barriers that have hindered the free movement people within Africa.

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It will be recalled that on December 11, 2019, President Muhammadu Buhari, at the Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development in Africa, in Cairo, Egypt., announced the visa-on-arrival policy for Africans.

But many Nigerians opposed and criticized the move by the federal government which they argued that the policy could create more problem of insecurity challenges bedeviling the country.

Atoye said: “Visa on arrival is not a bad policy in itself, but the concern is whether the country has developed the right capacity to implement it without undermining Nigeria’s national security and assets.

“The loopholes in our immigration agency and the manifest corruption in the system and among the personnel must be fundamentally addressed to avoid the possibility of terrorists and mercenaries exploiting the policy to attack the country or a foreign interest in the country. The United States has just issued a travel advisory on Nigeria to its citizens, over the escalation of tension between it and Iran.”

He further stressed and called on the National Assembly to review the policy with possible investigation in order for it not to create problem for the citizenry.

“Visa is a serious issue. Notwithstanding that the pronouncement was made by the President, it is important for the National Assembly to urgently do a legislative review of the policy and investigate the readiness of the country to adequately implement the policy, without threatening our national security. It is a good policy that could backfire if poorly implemented”, he said.

He added that there is no doubt that the country is rife for the implantation of the policy as obtained in other countries, but the best approach would have been for the country to do a test run before full implementation.

“The country is rife for the policy and it is something worth exploring. It has been implemented by different countries but with specific targets on favourable countries that can benefit from it.  But Implementing for all of Africa by Nigeria is a daring expedition with attendant security challenges.

“The best approach would have been for the country to do a test run before full implementation. We also do not know whether the President did ask the Immigration if they have what it takes to implement it at a time the country is exposed to terror war. But all of these concerns could be revealed if the National Assembly can investigate the readiness of the country to implement the policy”, he said.

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Also speaking on the policy with Vanguard in a telephone chat was the National Coordinator, Grassroots Empowerment and Justice Initiative, GEJ Initiative, Comrade Ebriku John Friday.

Friday said: “Ordinarily, the policy is a welcomed development because it is the practice globally, especially in developed nations with nest security measures in place.

“But do we have such measures in place in Nigeria? Is Nigeria truly ready with the attendant security challenges bedeviling the nation across the country, terrorism, kidnapping, unknown gunmen’s killing and all forms of criminalities?

He also queried, “Why the hurry in the implementation, even when the Senate is yet to deliberate, debate and weigh the various options before give the President the go ahead to implement the controversial visa policy?”

Vanguard