NIS Declares State of Emergency on Passport Issuance

 

By Nurat Uthman

The Nigerian Immigration Service, on Friday, declared a state of emergency declaration on passport issuance across the country.

The Acting Comptroller General of NIS, Caroline Wura-Ola Adepoju disclosed this during a working visit to Lagos.

According to her, the state of emergency was to address challenges faced by Nigerians in obtaining their passports. This was contained in a statement signed by NIS spokesperson, Tony Akuneme.

The Senate, last month ordered its committee on interior to find out the rationale behind the delay in the renewal and issuance of passports, following a series of complaints laid by Nigerians in renewing or getting new passports from the service.

“The Ag. CGI’s visit to Lagos encompassed significant events that underscored the gravity of the Passport crisis.

“She inaugurated a state-of-the-art visa-on-arrival lounge at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, demonstrating her commitment to improving the overall travel experience for visitors entering Nigeria,” part of the statement read.

According to NIS, the state of emergency declaration on passport issues signifies the renewed commitment of the service to resolving the challenges faced by Nigerians seeking to obtain passports.

“Following this, she paid an unscheduled visit to the Alausa passport office to assess the situation firsthand.

“In her address, Ag. CGI Adepoju emphasised the necessity to dismantle all man-made bottlenecks that impede the passport application process.

“She further stressed that the NIS top management is fully committed to addressing institutional and technology-based drawbacks to ensure more efficient and streamlined service delivery.

“The state of emergency declaration on passport issues signifies the renewed commitment of NIS to resolving 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,” it added.