The Acting Comptroller General of Immigration, CGI Caroline Adepoju has announced a state of emergency on issuance of travel passport in the country.
Adepoju, on a working visit to Lagos on Friday said that there was urgent need to address the challenges faced by Nigerians in obtaining international passports.
Public Relations Officer at Immigration, Mr Tony Akuneme said that the acting CGI also inaugurated a state-of-the-art Visa on Arrival Lounge at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.
The Immigration Service boss said that the facility was a demonstration of the NIS commitment to improving the overall travel experience for visitors entering Nigeria.
Adepoju explained that the state of emergency declaration on Passport issues signifies the renewed commitment of NIS to resolve the challenges faced by Nigerians seeking to obtain passports.
“It represents a call to action for all stakeholders to prioritise efficiency, transparency, and excellence in service delivery”, she said.
Adepoju directed all Passport Control Officers, relevant units and personnel, including foreign mission to eliminate all hindrances preventing Nigerians from accessing passports promptly.
“NIS is leveraging technology and instituting robust administrative measures to enhance the passport application and issuance process.
“We urge all Nigerians to remain patient and cooperate with the service as it takes decisive steps to address the passport crisis”, she said.
Adepoju assured the public that the efforts was to ensure that every eligible Nigerian who required a Passport could obtain one in a timely manner.
Credible News reports that Adepoju also paid an unscheduled visit to Alausa Passport office to assess the situation firsthand. where she emphasised the need to dismantle all man-made bottlenecks impeding Passport application process.
She stressed that the NIS management was fully committed to addressing institutional and technology-based drawbacks to ensure a more efficient and streamlined service delivery.
Also, Adepoju, who recognised the importance of collaboration and community engagement, embarked on a grassroots sensitisation initiative targeting traditional rulers.
She visited the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, during which she sought for the cooperation of traditional rulers nationwide to NIS activities, including prevention of human trafficking.
