International travelers, passport applicants and other stakeholders on Wednesday urged newly-appointed Ag. Comptroller-General of Immigration Service, Mrs Caroline Adepoju, to caution passport offices against delay in passport production.
They said that passport issuance was being extended beyond the official weeks stipulated for processing and collection.
” NIS stipulated three weeks for passport renewal and six weeks for issuance of new passports officially.
“The Federal Government through the Civil Defense, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board ( CDCFIB), appointed Deputy -Comptroller General of Immigration (DCGIS), Adepoju in acting capacity.
“The appointment was conveyed in a letter dated May 26, duely signed by the Secretary of the CDCFIB, Mr Ja’afaru Ahmed and obtained by the media on May 30
“Adepoju had served in various locations in NIS, the high point of which was her appointment as Deputy Comptroller-General (DCG) in charge of Finance, a position she occupied before her present appointment.”
An international travelers, Mr Rufus Ogini tasked the new Aq. CGIS to take necessary steps to ensure no Nigerian is subjected to any unnecessary delays or substandard treatments in the course of applying for passports. .
According to Ogini, Adepoju should focus on Passport issues which contributes mostly to the complaints of Nigerians.
A banker, who pleaded anonymously, tasked the new boss to open more passport offices in the country.
He decried the cumbersome process and financial burden involved to effect data corrections .
” Though there are 50 passport offices in the country presently, it is not enough to meet the passport needs of Nigerians,” he said.
Mrs Bridget Martins, a textile dealer on Lagos Island, appealed to the new boss to increase awareness programs, to prevent innocent citizens from falling into the hands of passport touts.
She said the touts always defrauded the innocent citizens of their hard earned money under the pretense of obtaining passport for them.
“Many times these touts do give out wrong information to applicants, thereby misleading them.
