The Nigeria Immigration Service’s interim comptroller general, Isah Idris, has said that the new passport reforms his government implemented had made it simpler for Nigerians to apply for and receive passports.
In light of this, he stated that Nigerians could anticipate further improvements that would result in simpler processing of the travel document.
At the decoration ceremony for the service’s recently promoted senior officials to the positions of Assistant Comptroller Generals and Comptrollers of Immigration, Isah made this announcement in Abuja.
In his words; “While the Service under my watch is gradually but consistently migrating our Passport issuing Centers both locally and in the diaspora to the enhanced e-Passport, we have also been able to transform the process of Passport application and issuance.
“This was made possible by the introduction of a queuing system that enables passport applicants to choose an interview date immediately payment is made on the application portal.
“This is helping management to regulate the passport process while also allowing passport applicants get an appointment date at their convenience.”
He stated that the agency is focused on three things: e-border control, passport improvements, and employee welfare.
Adding that by making sure that every effort is made to meet these goals, the service has kept becoming better.
Idris clarified; “Our statutory mandate as both law enforcement and service delivery agency demands that we masterfully deploy our best hands across service and operational windows to ensure that we regularly and consistently make enduring impressions on the minds of those we relate with.
“We are leaving no stone unturned in our pursuit to excellently discharge our mandate through priority attention given to human capacity development and timely promotion of officers and men.”
He added that “We have taken necessary steps including deployment of technology in the discharge of our duty.”
He urged the newly promoted officers—11 ACGs and 35 Comptrollers—to demonstrate loyalty and dedication to duty by putting in effort, commitment, self-discipline, honesty, and integrity, among other qualities.
According to him, “Promotion is a product of high level exercise, hard work, commitment, self-discipline, honesty, integrity and above all, loyalty.
“Loyalty is the totality of the other virtues as those who must command must first learn to obey.
“Your new ranks automatically places you in positions to make critical decisions that will determine the fate of officers and men as well as the course of progress in the Service therefore as you wear your new ranks, your coordination, perspective and focus must be absolutely service centred, nationalistic, just and fair in all your dealings.”
The Service Public Relations Officer, Tony Akuneme, who was promoted to the rank of Comptroller of Immigration, told journalists that the new ranks is a call for greater commitment and service to Nigerians.
“All we need to carry out our tasks is dedication and passion and if you love your country, there is no way you won’t be able to put in extra effort and hours whether you are paid for it or not as long as you see the results.
“I am happy that with the help of the media, the narrative and perception of the Service is beginning to change, the NIS being in the news for the right and positive reasons and I am positive that this will continue even if I am given new responsibility,” Akuneme said.
