Politics
SOME applicants on Thursday commended the Federal Government’s directive that all backlogs of the Nigerian passports be cleared, while payments for new ones should be suspended till May end.
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The applicants in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said that the directive would restore sanity and orderliness to the various passport offices across the country.
NAN reports that NIS had, on May 18, released a circular to all passport issuing centres to clear existing backlogs of applications on or before May 31,2021.
It added that requests for fresh and /or reissue shall not be entertained from May 18, 2021 to May 31 in all centres except for locations in the Missions abroad.
Mr Kelvin Aluko, a native medicine practitioner, told NAN that he applied for his international passport since April, which was yet to be issued.
Aluko described the directives as apt and necessary to cushion the challenges NIS is currently facing.
He hailed the Controller-General of Immigration Service (CGIS), Mr Mohammed Babandede, and the Minister of Interior, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, for taking such a bold step in the interest of Nigerians.
“Some people who applied after me and had collected their passports, but now that will stop,”Aluko said.
An up-and-coming musician, Jelili Omolokun, said that he was glad to receive a text message from NIS this morning.
“I received a text message to come and rectify an issue in my application form. I’m sure it was due to the directive that empowered the officers to detect such an error on time.
“Clearance of the backlogs of applications for passports will bring sanity to the system,”Omolokun said.
Also, a textile dealer, Mrs Salam Baraka, said that she applied at the Festac Passport Office, saying that the new directive had presented President Muhammadu Buhari as a lover of Nigerians.
NAN reports that some of the applicants at the Alausa Passport Office also lauded the new development.
Mr Jude Nworah said that he had been scheduled to pick his international passport at the Alausa office on May 21, though he had applied since March.
“This directive and suspension order would help many of us and we thank Mr President, the Minister of Interior and the Comptroller-General for the decision. it is taken in our best interest, and we appreciate them,”Nworah said.
The Passport Controller Officer (PCO ) of Ikoyi Passport office, Mr Abdukadri Garo, assured applicants that the offices would work assiduously to ensure they cleared all the backlogs as directed by the CGIS.
NAN
– May 20, 2021 @ 17:49 GMT
Tags: Applicants laud FG’s directives suspending applications for new international passports
