NIGERIA: In a virtual media briefing, the Acting Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Isa Idris has emphasized that the aim of establishing the agency is not only to serve as a passport producing agency but it has other numerous functions for Nigerians.
“One of the primary responsibilities of the NIS is to protect the country’s border. Hence, it must not be seen just as only a passport issuance. Nigeria with over 5,000 landed borders and shorelines, assisted by technology will help in reducing the challenges in the agency,” Idris said.
Idris noted this as a part of his three-point agenda presented to Nigerians while assuming office in September 2021. He further assured Nigerians on the agency’s protection of its landed borders.
Need for motivation
Idris said that the need to motivate Nigeria Immigration Officers is needed as it will help in curbing unacceptable acts that are not in line with the code of conduct of the organization. Along with this, it will also improve workers’ productivity and service delivery.
Therefore, any worker who is not motivated will easily engage in corrupt acts.
Idris, therefore, pleaded for more government funding to the agency as that will enable the agency to discharge her responsibilities optimally.
“The organization is working towards securing approval so that it could be able to spend part of its generated revenue for its operations’’, Idris asserted.
NIS Boss Assured Nigerians of Availability of Passport in the First Quarter of 2022
In another related development, Idris pleaded with Nigerians (both home and abroad) who are having difficulty in renewing or obtaining a fresh Nigeria traveling document/international passport to remain calm. He also promised that by March 2022 the situation will be over.
Idris has attributed the unnecessary delay in the production of the traveling document to the COVID-19 outbreak which ravaged the whole world in 2021.
Important measures to tackle the problem
Coming up with an improved e-passport platform with adequate features will go a long way in reducing the lingering and persisted problem.
The e-passport platform has officially been flag-off in some of Nigeria’s commercial cities such as Lagos, Kano, Port-Harcourt, and Ibadan.
Idris further stressed that, with the coming of the enhanced e-passport scheme, the county will no longer witness the problem of scarcity of international passports.
The e-passport process was launched in 2007. Earlier, the process worked with biometric passport technology. This will no doubt help in reducing forgery, impersonation, and any related fraudulent acts in time of obtaining an international passport.
Idris, therefore, urged Nigerians to always apply for their international passport online and avoid contact with the passport officers to also avoid any form of corruption.
He has also advised the citizens applying for a new passport or renewing to do it as at when due to avoid “last-minutes rush”. Efforts are on to ensure full adherence to the three weeks duration for renewal and six weeks for fresh applications.
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