The Benue Investment and Property Company Limited (BIPC) and the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) have agreed to deepen collaboration to enhance the safety, documentation and effective monitoring of expatriates working in Benue State.
The resolution was reached during a meeting between the Group Managing Director of BIPC, Dr. Raymond Asemakaha, CFA, and the Benue State Comptroller of the Nigerian Immigration Service, Grace Nkangwung, PCC, at the BIPC Boardroom in Makurdi.
Speaking during the meeting, Dr. Asemakaha revealed that BIPC accounts for about 75 per cent of expatriates currently working in Benue through its various industrial and investment projects.
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He disclosed that the company would henceforth provide the Nigerian Immigration Service with details of all expatriates engaged in its projects, including their Temporary Work Permits (TWPs), to ensure proper documentation, monitoring and compliance with immigration laws.
“We are here to build the state, and we will not have criminals in the state,” Dr. Asemakaha said, stressing the company’s commitment to maintaining a secure environment for investors and residents.
He also expressed concern over the unpleasant experiences some expatriates had encountered in their interactions with immigration personnel but commended the State Comptroller for her swift intervention in resolving the issues.
In her response, the Benue State Comptroller of the Nigerian Immigration Service, Grace Nkangwung, said the Service had already introduced measures to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.
She urged BIPC to consistently notify the agency whenever new expatriates arrive in the state to facilitate effective monitoring in line with the Service’s statutory responsibilities.
Nkangwung further commended Dr. Asemakaha and Governor Hyacinth Alia for their commitment to infrastructural development, noting that ongoing projects have transformed Benue into a major construction hub and an emerging destination for investment.
Earlier, the Head of Business Development and Strategy at BIPC, Theresa Abeda, said the meeting was convened to strengthen collaboration between both organisations and address issues of mutual interest, particularly in promoting investment, enhancing security and ensuring compliance with immigration regulations in Benue State.
