Govt. must examine roles of foreign missions, religious leaders- Agba

The president, Emeka Agba Foundation, Emeka Agba, has lamented exploitation by foreign missions while stating the need to scrutinise their roles and that of religious leaders in shaping the national narrative.

Speaking at a media parley over the weekend on the state of the nation, he bemoaned that many Nigerians queue up at embassies, paying substantial amounts for visas and are denied without recourse. He charged that Nigeria emulates Angola, which has set a precedent by ensuring denied visa applicants get their money back.

He added that the open border policy allowing unchecked travel abroad needs to be reconsidered and the influence of foreign companies over local industries, especially in oil and gas must be curbed to promote local production and ownership.

“They often sabotage our efforts to refine our products, making us overly dependent on imports,” he said

For Agba, Nigeria needs strong leadership that values local content and prioritises Nigerian expertise in all sectors to ensure self-reliance and development.

“Despite the significant investment in local refining, we continue to import petroleum products, resulting in huge foreign exchange losses and subsidy-related theft.

“The NNPCL should recognise the potential impact of the Dangote Refinery on our economy and provide the necessary support. The argument that relying on one refinery is bad for energy security is flawed. Local refining would improve supply and reduce costs significantly,” he added.

According to him, the masses in Nigeria continue to grapple with worsened economic challenges, hunger, food shortage and security, Climate Change and spares of kidnappings in securities across the country.

Agba said it is time for Nigeria to reclaim itsdignity, support local industries, and ensure its leaders are working in the best interest of the nation.