FG Reviews Passport Processing Time to Six Weeks, Aregbesola Declares Zero-tolerance For Touting At Passport Offices

-




The Federal Government has said it is turning  around the entire passport application process by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to Six weeks, so as to ensure seamless, transparent, as well as according human dignity to applicants and fulfil citizenship integrity, in line with the mandate of  the Ministry of Interior.



The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola disclosed this on Thursday, 22 April, 2021 at a meeting with the Comptroller General of Immigration, Mohammad Babandede, Passport Officers, as well as the attaches in Nigeria Missions abroad, at the Immigration Headquartres, Sauka, Abuja.


In his speech titled  'A NEW DAWN IN PASSPORT APPLICATION PROCESSING', the Minister said, "We have had several challenges in the past, including shortage of booklets, touting, racketeering, inflating the cost, passports being issued to ineligible persons, among  others. It has become imperative therefore to review our operations and rejig our system, in order to be able to offer excellent services to our clients."


According to him, efforts are on to embed security operatives both seen and unseen, in all passport offices. "They will wear body cameras. They will detect and report any form of solicitations, inflation, improper communications, extortion, diversion, hoarding and other corrupt practices. Those caught will be dealt with according to the law," he stressed.


The Minister disclosed further that an ombudsman will also be created for members of the public to receive complaints and reports on officers trying to deviate from prescribed guidelines and subversion of the process.


"Therefore, I am declaring a zero-tolerance stance to all forms of touting. No applicant will be made to pay any illegitimate fees," he said.


Highlights of the meeting include but not limited to the following:


i. Creation of special centres for expedited services. These special centres will run on public-private partnership basis. This has already taken off in Abuja and 10 more will be opened in coming weeks as more of such centres will be opened all over the country. Our goal is to have one in each local government, university campuses, institutions of higher learning and other places.


II. A timeline will be fixed for every application i.e., a collection date. This will be six weeks, comparable to what obtains in other countries. This is to allow for enough time to investigate and validate personal information supplied by the applicants. What we are driving at is the peace of mind that comes from assurance of certainty. If there are circumstances that will make the date to change, it will be communicated to the applicant one week before the collection date.  


iii. Applicants will have no basis for further communication with officers, other than to complete their application process and leave the venue. The date for the collection of their passports or any challenge to the application, will be communicated to them. The technology for the efficient running of this system has been acquired and will be deployed.


iv.  To publish the list of the backlog of applications that are ready which are yet to be collected by the owners. They will be required to go to the State commands to collect them.


With these changes, he said, "It is my firm belief that we will arrive at a new dawn in passport application processing." 

 He called for the support and maximum cooperation of all passport officers so to make more significant contribution to national development.


"It should be our personal and collective goal to leave an institution better than we met it," he reiterated.


Aregbesola who expressed gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari for his consistent support for the Ministry of Interior and all its agencies, also commended the Controller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Mohammad Babandede for his tireless efforts and the unprecedented success the agency has recorded under his leadership.


Aregbesola lauded all the officers who are sacrificially serving to man the nation's borders and do the business of the agency under very challenging conditions. 'I must thank all our partners, without whose efforts and contributions our exertions would have been in vain,' Aregbesola stressed. 


Earlier, the Comptroller General, Nigeria Immigration Service, Mohammad Babandede said the need to reduce the waiting period for applicants led to the new review.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

OGUN CDA BILL SCALES SECOND READING IN OGUN ASSEMBLY

-
Image
The proposed Community Development Association Law, 2020, when passed by the Assembly and eventually signed into law by the governor, would institutionalize the activities of CDAs in Ogun state  with a view to developing a uniformed constitution  for its operation with clearly defined roles for the relevant government agencies in the administration of the associations. Opening debate on the bill titled: “H.B. No. 044/ OG/2020- A Bill for a law to provide for the registration of Community Development Associations and for the Matters incidental thereto and connected therewith”; the Minority Leader, Hon. Ganiyu Oyedeji underscored the need to have a legislative framework backing the operations of CDAs, to help  promote efficiency and accountability in its operations.   Lawmakers who contributed to the debate on the bill at the plenary included Honourables Yusuf Amosun, Soneye Damilola and Balogun Akeem said that the bill would help in harnessing more resources by the CDAs, especially from
Read more

Ooni Condemns Incessant Rape, child Abuse as Ife celebrates Yeyemolu festival

-
Image
The Arole Oduduwa & Ooni of Ife, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II has condemned incessant rape, child abuse and other forms of molestation particularly against women in the society. Ooni Ogunwusi made the disclosure on Friday, during the annual Yeyemolu festival; which is the remembrance of the first queen of the Ooni of Ife, at his Ile Oduduwa Palace, Ile-Ife. The frontline traditional ruler while explaining the indispensable roles of women in the society, admonished that they should be respectfully protected from all social vices towards creating a better society. “Women must not be made prey in the hands of hoodlums and other disgruntled elements in the society. It is heartbreaking to read the multiple crimes being committed against our women and children today especially rape. “All hands must be on deck to ensure that our society is safe for all and equally condemn all forms of immoralities. Women are so unique in nature that anything you give to them, they multiply it. “G
Read more

HON. IDRIS BOLAJI MUSE ARIYOH COMMISERATES WITH FATOKI FAMILY

-
Image
Oshodi-Isolo Local Government Chairman Hon. Idris Bolaji Muse Ariyoh commiserate with the family of the former Mandate Chairman in Oshodi-Isolo Local Government Elder Albert Babasola Fatoki who passed on today, 10th January 2021 at his residence in Whaabi Larinde after a brief illness.  In a condolence message signed by him, he described the late as a leader, father, an astute politician, and a community leader who spent his life in the service of humanity and his community. He described the exit of the political icon as a great loss to the entire Oshodi community, Ogunoloko ward, and  most especially the All Progressives Congress whose immense contribution to its success in all the elections cannot be over-emphasized.  He prayed Allah  grants him eternal rest and give the family, his friends, and associates the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.
Read more