Immigration To Issue Passports In 774 Lgas, Says Aregbesola

The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, has promised
that applicants will soon begin to get Nigerian passports
within 24 hours.
The minister also in a statement on Sunday said passports
would be issued in each of the 774 local government areas
in the country to reduce the problem of getting it.
The former governor of Osun State said this at the newly
inaugurated Maitama Passport Express Centre.
He explained that the Nigeria Immigration Service Passport
Express Centre, Maitama Abuja was established in
partnership with the private sector to make passport
Issuance more convenient and quick.
Aregbesola stated that the opening of the centre, which
signified the inauguration of the Passport Issuance
decentralisation policy of the administration, was the first of
many more to be established in every local government area
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.
“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.”
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.
Babandede also said the 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.
The NIS boss said 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,
deranked and some are facing disciplinary procedures for
corrupt practices and loss of passport booklets.
Managing Director, IRIS Smart Technologies Limited,
Olayinka Fisher who conducted a tour of the centre’s
facilities stated that the company has not taken over the job
of Immigration, but will be providing all the facilities, quality
ambience and other premium value added service to fast
track the passport issuance process.