The Federal government has disclosed that Nigeria received about 8,051 applications for the country’s citizenship through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP), initiative even as 45,751 business applications were also received within the last 12 months under review.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Dr Shuaib Belgore who made the revelation on Wednesday said this development has culminated in a significant improvement in income generation into federal government’s coffers by the Federal ministry of Interior.
Dr Belgore while making the declaration in Abuja at the 4th Quarter 2020 PPP Units’ Consultative Forum (3PUCF) of all (MDAs), hosted by the Ministry of Interior urged the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, (OHCSF) to urgently professionalize the PPP units in all federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the federal government.
According to the Permanent Secretary, professionalization of the PPP Units in all MDAs was imperative because of the existing infrastructure gaps confronting the country as well as the need to ensure continuity, reduce public sector rising administrative expenditure, allows for mutually shared risk, reduce the problem of public sector budget challenges and to also provide for easy monitoring of PPP projects across the country.
Dr Belgore who was represented by the Director, Citizenship and Business Department of the Ministry of Interior, Barr. (Mrs) Moremi Soyinka- Onijala, stated further that it has become imperative for government to look beyond its budgetary provisions for infrastructure development and embrace Public-Private Partnership (PPP) options that has been globally recognized as project delivery process.
The Permanent Secretary of the Federal ministry of Interior said that in line with the recent trends in PPP, his Ministry was able to attract private sector investors for the development of some identified PPP projects in the Security sector, especially in the following subject matter arears such as:
Expatriate Quota and Citizenship Automation; Processing of non-judgemental Visa applications globally, Immigration and Borderline Management; Production of Emergency Passports and recently; the Expansion and Development of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS)’s Shoe and Garment Factories in Aba, Abia state and a Leather Factory in Janguza, Kano State which Belgore said, off-take and Concession Agreements are at the verge of being finalised for the necessary legal signatory.
He added that the ministry also has a number of pipeline PPP concept projects under various stages of development, notably in the areas of Staff Housing, Correctional Service Farmland Development, Land Swap projects as well as other PPP concept projects initiated by the Federal Fire Service, among others.
Through PPP, he stressed that the ministry recorded a total business applications of 45,751 as well as 38,051 Citizenship applications from September 2018 to October, 2020, leading to significant improvement in income generation for government by the ministry of Interior.
Belgore who lauded the support of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) in ensuring that the projects have value for money and are equally beneficial to all stakeholders urged every member of the forum to take advantage of the knowledge-sharing session and experiences of other MDAs for speedy and successful delivery of PPP projects for the overall benefits of citizenship integrity and for the promotion of good governance of the nation.
In her remarks, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Folashade Yemi-Esan, urged all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government to be proactive in handling PPP projects and to also ensure focus on projects that would generate high returns on investments, with a view to ploughing back the profits generated to the economy.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Special Duties Office, in her office, Mrs Ibiene Roberts, the Head of Serviced implored MDAs to review the projects that have been lingering for too long and identify challenges and constraints which the forum can help address speedily.
Also speaking, the Director General, Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Chidi Izuwah, said ICRC has continued to deliver on its mandate areas , not withstanding the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions and protocols across the country.
