Immigration engages private sector in passport issuance takes centres to 774 LGAs

..As NIS has dismissed, de-ranked some staff in Anambra…

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

The Nigerian Immigration Services(NIS), has said the opening of the Maitama Passport Express Centre( MPEC), Abuja, was geared towards decentralisation on the issuance of passport embarked on  by the current administration.

Stating that involvement of the private sector into  the process was to make passport Issuance more convenient and quick in anticipation that applicants would soon begin to get Nigerian passports within 24 hours.

The Minister of Interior, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, in a statement in Abuja at the weekend during the inauguration of the new Maitama Passport Express Centre.

He said passports would be issued in each of the 774 local government areas(LGAs) in the country to reduce the problem of getting passports.

The opening/inauguration of the centre he said   was the first of many more to be established in every LGA in Nigeria and designed to offer specialized services to Nigerians.

Aregbesola said: “MPEC is in response to the yearnings of the general public for the Ministry of Interior and the Nigeria Immigration Service to devise additional ways that the passport Issuance process can be less stressful and more efficient. It is the future. The goal is to have a facility like this in every local government in the country.

“Every Nigerian has the right to a Nigerian passport and it is our responsibility to put it in the hands of anyone desirous of it within the shortest possible time, without stress. The passport should be available in maximum of 72 hours of a successful application. Where there are issues, the applicant must be notified within 48 hours.

Aregbesola

“The commencement of the operations of this world-class facility will not only offer Nigerians services of convenience and pleasure by taking away the hitherto stress in the conventional passport offices, it will also afford Nigerians the opportunity of getting their passports within 24 hours, at the high premium service and 72 hours at the ordinary premium service, albeit with added value and a little bit of extra cost.”

In his speech, the Comptroller-General of the NIS, Mr. Muhammad Babandede, said the inauguration of the express centre was a step towards solving the problems associated with passport administration.

He stated that MPEC was established to provide, expedite and guaranteed service for applicants willing to pay a premium for prompt and convenient service.

“The centre will be non-judgmental and has provision for large comfortable VIP lounge, refreshment, queue management system and other necessary facilities to ensure comfort and speedy delivery of quality service.

“This centre will have a dedicated National Identity Number (NIN), registration unit and cater to the complete passport issuance process from enrolment to production for only fresh and re-issue passport applications

“Other categories of passport applications including change of data, replacement of damaged, lost/stolen passport and others shall continue to be processed at the service headquarters and other approved passport issuing authorities,” he added.

According to Babandede, in line with its statutory mandate, NIS last week posted out the entire staff of Amana Passport Office for negligence and complexity in passport administration.

He added that many of its officers were dismissed, de-ranked and some are facing disciplinary procedures for corrupt practices and loss of passport booklets.

Conducting the tour of the centre’s facilities, the Managing Director, IRIS Smart Technologies Limited, an ICT company responsible for the implementation of Nigerian e-Passport solution Mr. Olayinka Fisher stated that the company had not taken over the job of Immigration.

IRIS Smart Technologies he said would fast track the passport issuance process as it would provide all the facilities, quality ambience and other premium value added service needed to achieve efficiency.