The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has disclosed that the agency has begun a process to ensure that the backlog of passports is completely sorted out, as over 40,000 passports are ready and yet to be collected. This has been published on the NIS website.
In a release signed by the assistant comptroller of NIS, Amos Okpu, and made available to BusinessDay, Thursday, it was gathered that the minister of interior Rauf Aregbesola, and comptroller general of Immigration Service (CGI), Muhammad Babandede (MFR) said that on no account should an extra payment be made for the collection of passports.
The statement stated that according to the directive of the minister to the agency to clear all backlogs within six weeks, NIS has informed the members of the public that 43,350 passports out of the total number of 230,500 passports applications that have been cleared and produced are ready for collection, just as the agency also directed Passport Control Officers to continue to send out notifications for collection to all applicants.
Nigerians were advised to visit the agency website for further details; stressing that on no account should an extra payment be made for collection.
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“This feat is unprecedented and at best the first time such would be done in the operation of the NIS. The minister who has tasked the agency to ensure that excellent customer service becomes the hallmark of the agency is leaving no stone unturned in ensuring this is achieved and that Nigerians begin to have valued each time they engage the services of the NIS.
“Going by this unprecedented move, it can be said that Nigeria is beginning to see a drive forward towards a more efficient environment where service to the people is considered utmost and where the people are well treated as they engage the agencies of government. This again underscores the commitment to deliver a pleasant experience that aids the government’s focus for improving the business climate and also facilitates the ease of doing business,” the release stated.
He said the implications of having a backlog of passports could be enormous on the economy and social life, adding that the improved process would completely eliminate bottlenecks associated with passport collection.
The minister further pointed out that the new measures were a strategic process in the series of interventions in the ministry, adding that the agencies under the ministry will continue to transform and shift in the value curve.
