Interior Affairs Minister Rauf Aregbesola has again tasked officers of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) with efficient service delivery.
Aregbesola gave the charge when he visited the Alausa Passport Office in Lagos on Wednesday unannounced.
The minister said that he decided to visit the facility unannounced with a view to having a first-hand assessment.
He advised applicants to always speak out whenever they receive unsatisfactory service.
”It is only through such complaints that the authorities can hold the officers responsible for no service delivery.
”I want to appeal to passport applicants not to patronize agents in securing passports. With the reforms going on, all applicants will have an easy process to obtain their passports.
”You must however follow the due process through online application to obtain the passports either for renewal or as a fresh applicant,” he said.
He called on immigration officers to always communicate with the applicants regularly on developments concerning their operations, especially if applicants’ appointments fall on public holidays.
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”Regular communication will save the service embarrassment and give confidence to the applicants.
”Those seeking to renew their passports should be given their passports within three weeks while fresh applicants should have their passports in six weeks.
“We want to have a re-orientation for everyone on how to go about processing their passports. Immigration officers should know that the passport office is for service delivery.
”You Nigerians must know that you are the bosses, not the immigration officers. You are the taxpayers. It is your tax they use to maintain this officer. We are your servants, including myself.
“If we don’t have this understanding, there is a problem. I apologize for the challenges encountered by applicants.
”I assured you that henceforth, there will be good service delivery,” he said.
The Passport Control Officer at Alausa, Mrs. Rose Bukar, took the minister around the facilities.
At the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Alausa, Lagos office, Aregbesola was conducted around facilities by the Commandant of the corps, Mr. Okoro Eweka.
