The New Experience Newspapers Online News Indepth, Analysis and More
Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) Muhammad Babandede has said that the decentralisation of passport operations and opening of news offices nationwide have yielded positive results.
He explained that on the assumption of office, he adopted decentralisation of specific, people-oriented passport administration to be undertaken at state passport offices to reduce the pressure of every passport case being referred to the Service Headquarters and applicants travelling long distances to secure certain categories of services, thereby empowering the passport offices to do those approved tasks.
In a statement issued by PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER of the service, Sunday James, it said, “This also brought about increased number of passport offices in states with large number of applicants patronizing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja NIS Headquarters and Gwagwalada and Ikoyi, Alausa and FESTAC centres in Lagos.
“Kano has Kano Main and Dawakin-Kudu, Ogun State Main Passport office Abeokuta and Sagamu, Asaba and Warri offices in Delta State, Ibadan, Oyo centres in Oyo State were designed as model projects to bring relief and comfort to passport applicants.” It explained that Babandede’s administration is looking toward having front-offices that will serve as application collection, sorting out, processing and Customer Care Centres for the passport requests in line with International best practices where Express Centres are opened to cater for those requiring express services due to exigencies and another day to day demand including unplanned medical and other urgent needs requiring express service.
The NIS will continue to open new frontiers in its operation and services to take care of its customers whose needs must be met as far as it is within prescribed and approved procedures for its operations, the passport processing attracts large numbers of applicants converging at a centre closest to them.
“Hence the need for more centres in mega cities and densely populated cities with the aim of decongesting the crowd and making life bearable for those seeking such service, saving time, reducing the tendency for touting and attempt to follow short cut by using any untoward means, this lead to the administration developing functional, effective, quality services with increase centres, pressure will reduce on a single centre most visited.
Many applications are treated at the State passport offices and those requiring further approval sent to the Service Headquarters Abuja for clearance and approval conveyed for the passport offices to produce and issue after such approval is received, particularly sensitive cases like lost, stolen, change of data, first and subsequent issuance for those who acquired Nigerian Citizenship and are entitled to a Nigerian Passport as stipulated in the Constitution of the Federation, change of name and others are monitored closely to avoid identity theft, forgery and abuse in some cases.
“The feedback and tracking systems are other innovations put in place to ensure applicants are notified of the status of their passport application, keeping track of their request and getting feedback directly from the service and not a third party, thereby making the passport an institutional business not a business for touts who feasts on the public, this has eliminated contacts with unauthorized persons handling the passport processing and cases of extra money charged by touts causing embarrassment to the service.
“The Comptroller of Ogun State Command, Kunle Osisanya, an astute, ardent follower of Babandede’s exemplary leadership will always strive to bring the reform agenda to impact on the officers’ performance in the command having tour the formations under his command and meeting with traditional leaders and community heads to emplace grassroots migrant monitoring and control in collaboration with the locals,” the statement added.
