Today’s edition of the Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC) Weekly Subject Experts’ Presentation was held at Hall C, TY Buratai Block, Abuja. Two presentations were made by the Subject Experts covering Southern Africa and South East Asia.
The third presentation was by Brig Gen SN Eze subject Expert for South East Asia. His presentation centered on over 800 Filipino foreign workers displaced due to the Kuwait entry ban. The Department of Foreign Affairs recalled an official notice sent to the Philippines on 10 May 23 announcing Kuwait’s suspension of issuance of new entry visas for Filipinos. The Ban also includes tourist visas.
In his analysis and lessons for Nigeria, Gen Eze noted that Nigeria does not have a government agency that coordinates foreign jobs for citizens. That Nigeria’s weak labour laws cannot checkmate the emigration of unskilled workers hence criminal syndicates have continued with nefarious activity. He further stated that the Middle East has a small native population that requires domestic aides from other countries. The economic opportunity provided by the Middle East facilitates the quest for employment by Nigerians. However, the region has gained notoriety for mistreating its foreign domestic workers through lack of payment, forced labour, physical abuse, rape, and other dangerous working conditions. Nigerians who were recruited by criminal syndicates have experienced these situations. He recommended that the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment should provide government support and effective policies for MSMEs to enhance entrepreneurship aimed at curbing unemployment.
The second presentation was by Brig Gen AA Adanogu Subject Expert for North America. His presentation focused on US citizens’ demand for stringent gun regulation. The US has already witnessed 241 mass shootings but this year outpace last year’s total of 647 verified mass shootings. The US gun control Act regulates the firearm industry and firearm owners through the prohibition of the sale of firearms by anyone without a federal firearms license.
In his analysis and lessons for Nigeria, he noted that in 2019 the Nigerian government launched a National campaign called “Kill the Gun, save the Life” to reduce the number of firearms in circulation. The campaign was raising awareness of the danger of firearms, particularly in the hands of non-state actors such as criminals and terrorists. The Nigeria Firearms Act of 1959 remains the primary law regulating the acquisition of firearms in the country. This Act provides for the issuance license for the possession of firearms, with a strict condition imposed on the applicant. Notwithstanding, the various measures and policies emplaced to regulate the acquisition and possession of firearms in the country, illegal acquisition and firearm violence are still on the rise.
He recommended that FGN should thereafter adopt the Canadian model of gun control that regulates the person who can purchase a weapon with a comprehensive register of gun owners.
Present at the briefing were Maj Gen KI Mukhtar who represented the DG, Senior Research Fellows, Research Fellows, Consultants and other management staff of the Centre.
