In a recent report on Voice TV Nigeria, Senator Adams Oshiomhole reprimanded a government minister over the increasing number of Chinese nationals occupying jobs in Nigeria, a situation he believes is unfair to Nigerian citizens, particularly the youth.
He said, “If you go to Kano, you will find Chinese nationals working in bakeries and small stores. This cannot continue, because they do not allow Nigerians to go to their country and take up such jobs, even though we maintain a cordial relationship with them.”
The former governor of Edo State emphasized that Nigerian workers should have priority in the job market, asserting that it is the country’s responsibility to protect employment opportunities for its citizens. He added, “As Nigerians, we all have a duty to secure those jobs for our young people-yes, even for those who are not so young.”
The senator’s comments were directed at the minister’s handling of expatriate work permits and immigration policies. Oshiomhole claimed that the situation could have been avoided if the minister had allowed him to fully explain the process. “The key issue is that I was explaining the procedure and workflow. After the expatriate quota is filled and all other procedures are completed by the Ministry of Interior, it is the Immigration Service that handles the issuance of permits, not the ministry.”
Oshiomhole also outlined the payment process for expatriates, noting that payments are made to a government account, converted to Nigerian naira at the prevailing Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) rate. “The money goes into a government account, not into the ministry’s coffers, it’s part of the government’s revenue profile, as you will see listed under the Nigeria Immigration Service.”