Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
Nigeria senators have risen dust over some individuals working in the country as they alleged that prisoners from some foreign countries were working in Nigeria in construction companies owned by expatriates.
The senators, who are members of Interior Committee, made the serious allegations during the budget defence of the Ministry of Interior in Abuja.
Chairman of the Committee, Adams Oshiomhole who spoke on behalf of other lawmakers, frowned at the practice and insisted that the practice must stop.
“Your ministry needs to regulate issuance of the quotas very well as i have on good authority that prisoners from foreign land are working in Nigeria as construction workers.
“This is even different from the age long fraud the oil companies have been carrying out in the country through the policy of expatriate quotas by making our own qualified engineers to work under foreign technicians.
“Many non Nigerians are in the country, some of them live inside containers. I even believe and dare say it that there are foreign prisoners who are working in Nigeria. They were shipped to our country to serve their prison terms.
“They were being paid according to their country’s minimum wage by the construction industry that brought them. I don’t want to mention the company’s name but if I am provoked, I will mention them.
“Honourable Minister, this is a serious issue, prisoners are not expected to work in their countries if the product or whatever they engage in is meant to be exported.”