The Federal Government has promised that Nigerians itching for international passports will now sit back at home and get their document delivered to them.
The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, who disclosed this at the opening of the Nigeria Immigration Service, (NIS) Passport Front Desk Office in Auchi, Edo State, at the weekend, said that it is the intention of government to provide the passport for anyone desirous of it within reasonable time, at affordable price and without any stress.
The Minister promised to conclude negotiations with NIPOST on the usage of its speedy mail service to start delivering passport to Nigerians who opt for such service.
“We are in the final stage of concluding negotiations with NIPOST to begin using its speed mail service to deliver passports to Nigerians wherever they are in the world after production.”
According to him, the launch of another Passport Front Desk Office is significant as the Nigerian Passport is a proof of existence especially for those outside the country as Inability to produce it on demand may bring untoward consequences.
“What we are doing here is significant for two main reasons. The first is the right and even the necessity of Nigerians, especially those in the diaspora to hold the Nigerian passport.
“Except for those travelling outside the country or intend to, most of those who hold the passport do so for identification purposes.
“For some, it is also a thing of pride to be able to brandish the green back of the passport. But for those outside the country, the passport is the proof of their existence.
“Inability to produce it on demand may bring untoward consequences. The government therefore wants to provide the passport for anyone desirous of it within reasonable time, at affordable price and without any stress whatsoever.
“The second is the need, flowing from the first, to break out of the regular.”
The Comptroller General of the Nigerian Immigration Service, Isah Jere Idris, explained that the choice of Auchi is apt, as Edo State ranks fifth amongst states with the highest volume of passport applications locally.
According to him, “Within 365 days, Edo state has processed 56,291 applications out of the 1.5 million passports produced in Nigeria.
“The commissioning of this front office will no doubt go a long way in reducing the traffic in Edo State and other neighbouring States.”
The NIS boss restated the necessity for prospective applicants to synchronize the data in their passport application with the information in their National Identification Number.
“May I quickly add that for the enhanced e-passport, it is essential to ensure that prospective passport applicants synchronize the data in their passport application with the information in their NIN (National Identification Number).”
He maintained that the unveiling of front office and others like it, are crucial to achieving the NIS mandate of ensuring that the e-passport issuance process is brought closer to the people.
Jere seized the opportunity to affirm the commitment of the Nigeria Immigration Service to meeting the rising demands for Passport services globally, thereby repositioning the Service towards attaining a truly world-class status to compete with its counterparts worldwide.
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