The Lagos State Ministry of Home Affairs has revealed that no fewer than 74 foreign nationals, including Americans, Europeans and Lebanese were among the applicants seeking for Nigeria citizenshipthrough the state government.

The ministry’s Commissioner,Anofiu Elegushi,disclosed this at the ongoing ministerial press briefing to commemorate the second year in office of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s Administration.

He stated that the foreign nationals who soughtto acquire the citizenship of of the country were doing it via naturalization.

According to him, the ministry has registered 400 money lenders across the state in the last two years and confirmed the receipt of 74 applications for naturalization on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Home Affairs within the same period.

” Out of the 74 applications for naturalization received by the ministry, a total number of 35 applications had been screened and recommended to the Federal Ministry of Interior for approval.

” The Ministry was also in partnership with foreign business owners who intend to acquire the citizenship of being a Nigerian via naturalization,with this partnership of naturalization and special immigrant status, Nigeria, especially Lagos State stands to benefit from the foreign direct Investment while the immigrant business owners also benefit by growing their businesses in one of the biggest markets in the world”, he said. .

Speaking on the registered 400 money lenders in the state, the commissioner stated that the ministry was in partnership with the money lenders sector in a way that most of such organizations were mandated to register with the ministry for the coordination of their activities saying this had assisted small scale business owners in Lagos to keep theirbusinesses afloat and contributed to the micro-economic growth of businesses in the State.

Elegushi also disclosed that about 25,000 intending pilgrims were innoculated with the AstraZeneca vaccine in March. He said this was in fulfillment of the requirements for entry into Saudi Arabia for Hajj and Jerusalem for pilgrimage.

The exercise was organised by the Christian and Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare Board in collaboration with the Ministry of Health.

“As part of measures to ensure a successful pilgrimage exercise, intending pilgrims were screened, both administratively and medically, with COVID-19 vaccine administered to screened pilgrims.

“Over 2,500 intending pilgrims took the Oxford AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine between March 27 and 28. This was organised by the Christian and Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health. This was in fulfillment of requirements for gaining entry into Saudi Arabia for Hajj and Jerusalem for pilgrimage.

“The Permanent Secretary also led a six-man delegation to Jordan ahead of the proposed May 2021 pilgrimage to ascertain the preparedness of pilgrimage grand handlers, and to also have a better and clearer view of historical sites in Jordan. We currently have over 300 intending pilgrims who have registered and submitted their forms.

“The ministry is presently in the process of imputing data of every place of worship located in the state on a centralised database to allow the government to have a reliable data of churches, mosques and their locations, with a view to carrying them along with government policies.

“The website presently has over 10,000 worship centres on its database,” he added.

Elegushi hoped the policy, because of effective resource allocation and efficient management inherent in it, will ensure extended benefits to more worship centres.(The Sun)