Governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano on Thursday flagged off electronic registration of foreigners in the state to legalize their stay.

Obiano flagged off the registration at the Nigeria Immigration Service, Anambra State Command in Awka Anambra state capital.

According to the governor, the Migrants E-Registration would enhance effective monitoring and control of foreigners as well as provide a data base that can be harnessed by all security agencies and institutions involved in migration management, as provided by the National Migration Policy 2015.

The Governor represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Solo Chukwulobelu, said the programme was part of government efforts towards securing state’s territory. He said the exercise would ensure a closer check on all immigrants in the state to maintain peace and tranquility in the state.

The Governor further stated that Identity management was very important for the safety of the nation, as it would help to check illegal immigrants and ensure that the rights of all the immigrants are protected.

Speaking at the inauguration of the Migrant e-Registration exercise, the Comptroller, Nigeria Immigration Service, Anambra State Command, Mrs. Tochukwu Agwai, said that as an instrument for identification, the e-registration would ensure protection of migrants’ rights and serve as a source of information and intelligence for all security agencies, including the international police.

According to her, apart from making Nigeria free of criminals, registration of foreigners will help in building database that would help the country in national planning.

The Comptroller said the government had given a six-month amnesty to all regular and irregular immigrants in the country, which would elapse early next year as the exercise would validate and their stay in the country.

Responding on behalf of the immigrants, Mr. Abubarkar Sanusi who is the Secretary of Niger Republic and the President, National Association of Ghanaian community in Nigeria, Anambra State Council Engineer John Forson, thanked the state for assisting and protect their members. He assured, that they would do their best in keeping with the lay down principles of the country.

Recall the electronic registration of foreigners in Nigeria was inaugurated on July 12, 2019 by President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja where he declared a period of amnesty to all migrants to enable them present themselves for registration. (Daily Trust)