Iduozee Paul, Benin Correspondent
The minister of Interior Affairs, Rauf Aregbesola has urged the Immigration officers to be dedicated to service in order to render better services for the development of the sector.
The former governor of Osun State who, gave the charge at the 2019 Comptroller -General of Immigration’s Annual Conference in Benin City, said the federal government is ready to create a conducive environment that will make the officers work well before they retire.
The minister disclosed that from next year frauds associated with the issuance of passports will be over. He advised the officers to see themselves as representatives of Africa in whatever they do because Nigeria as an entity, symbolizes the entire blacks in the Africa continent.
He said the federal government is working towards the introduction of a better technology for the issuance of the Nigerian passport in a manner devoid of physical contract between the passport seekers and passport providers.
According to the minister, the new technology will minimize fraud.
Delivering a lecture on, “Sustainable Reform Implementation: Process Review of Passport Application, Payment and Issuance”, Dr. Joe Abah, said Nigeria presently does not have a passport renewal process as every passport application is treated as a new application.
Dr. Abah said this means that each time you get a new passport, you need to offer yourself again for biometric capture, which serves as a source of annoyance for many people.
He pointed out that there are new developments in passport issuance particularly in foreign missions, but not much has changed in Nigeria, especially in Lagos, and complaints abound on scarcity of booklets.
“The new poly carbonate passport with up to 10 years validity is very commendable, and I have been made aware of plans to put in place a passport plaza at the Immigration headquarters, ” he added.
Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, thanked NIS for the introduction of National Biometric Identity Card for Intra-ECOWAS Travel and biometric registration of foreign nationals as new security measures in Nigeria.
The governor explained that the conference theme, “Migration Management In A Developing Economy: The Role of NIS,” was apt as it would give stakeholders the zeal to evaluate their functions in fighting illegal migration and dwell on the way forward.
Controller General, NIS, Muhammad Babandede, thanked the organizing committee of the event, all who graced the occasion and the Edo State government for support and commitment in the fight against human trafficking in Edo State.
