Breaking: FG Issues New Directives On Passport Issuance

The Federal Government has announced new directives on passport issuance in the country. In the latest directive announced today through the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the federal Government gave a two-week timeline for the processing of passport applications.

He added that this was to end the frustration of waiting for unnecessarily long time to obtain the document.

Dr Tunji-Ojo, who briefed journalists on the new directives on passport issuance updated on an earlier directive to the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to clear over 204,000 backlog of passport applications.

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The minister differentiated a passport issuance and that of visa, saying that while procurement of visas is a privilege, acquiring international passports is a right.

He tendered an apology to Nigerians that clearance of the backlog had spilled into three weeks, as opposed to the earlier two weeks deadline promised.

“On September 7, we made a promise to sort out the backlogs in two weeks but we made it in three weeks and I sincerely want to apologise to Nigerians for that.

“The ‘Renewed Hope’ administration of President Bola Tinubu is one that matches its words with actions.“The issue of passport must be a right and not a privilege. Visa is a privilege but passport is a right.

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”The minister praised the officers and men of the NIS for the efforts that they had put in so far, saying they should do more.

This according to him was the only to meet the expectations of Nigerian in line with the promise of the current administration.

The minister equally allayed fears on possible increase in passport application, stating that the country was undergoing a process. 

“For us, we are sure that if it can work in NIS, it can work anywhere else. Nigeria is undergoing a process.“We inherited 204,332 enrolments without passports being issued.

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People that had applied and captured.“That was the figure and we gave a marching order because the President is also on our necks to bring solutions and succour to Nigerians.

“The NIS personnel were running three shifts, working 24/7 to make sure that the backlogs were cleared and to ensure that never again would the issue of backlogs resurface.

“We want to ensure that nobody waits for more than two weeks to get their passports.“As of October. 1, we had cleared all the 204,332 backlogs and from the records produced by NIS, the number of passports already collected is 91,981.

Outstanding but available is 112,351,”Speaking directly to applicants on the new directives on passport issuance, the minister said: “If there is any passport office where you have done your capturing and they do not give you your passports, please lodge your complaints via the following; 0802 375 3414, preferably SMS and Whatsapp. Or email aa-ajiboye@yahoo.com

“The attitude of a very negligible fraction of NIS officers will not cast aspersions on the work of the majority of good officers.”