The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has ordered the reactivation of broken-down equipment in the nation’s passport offices in Atlanta and New York in the United States (U.S.A.).
Tunji-Ojo said the order was necessitated by a petition from Nigerians in the diaspora who demanded the resuscitation of broken-down passport equipment in Atlanta and New York Consulates in the U.S.A.
A statement yesterday in Abuja by his media aide, Mr. Alao Babatunde, said the minister had directed the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to immediately deploy new printers to the passport offices in both cities.
The printers are ready for installation as part of the short-term solution to resolve the current challenge promptly, Babatunde said.
The statement reads: “The minister hinted that there is a new solution being implemented as a long-term plan that will usher in a streamlined passport regime, enabling Nigerians to apply for their passports with more ease.
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“Part of this plan includes the activation of the Passport Personalisation Centre in Abuja, which is scheduled to start in the next few weeks while also opening up more countries for the already-deployed contactless solution.
“The Ministry of Interior …is working round the clock, and none of the agencies is left behind. “
At the Nigeria Immigration Service, for instance, there has been an end-to-end automation of the passport application process and the introduction of the contactless application process, which has since been launched in Canada.
“The minister assures that the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains committed to ensuring that Nigerians experience #RenewedHope laced with innovation and convenience while still enhancing national security.”