FG To Ensure Better Quality, Efficiency In Passport Production- Olubunmi

The Federal Government says it is set to ensure better quality, control, and greater efficiency in passport production.

The Minister of Interior Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo disclosed this while inspecting a world-class Data Personalisation Centre at the immigration headquarters in Sauka, Abuja.

According to the Minister, Nigeria before now has about 96 personalised passport centres across the country and abroad but with the coming of the centralized Passport personalization centre, an end has come to the multiple-location approach which created vulnerabilities and inefficiencies.

The Minister of Interior Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo during the inspection of the multi-million naira edifice built in partnership with IRISMAT Technologies limited said the centre when operational would produce about one thousand copies of passports per hour.

“The system we now have is a game-changer, the old machines produced only 250 to 300 passports per machine daily, the new system produces about one thousand per hour giving us a capacity of four thousand five hundred to five thousand passports per day. This means the Nigeria Immigration Service can now meet demands within a standard four to five hour work day, applicants whose requests are approved can now expect their passports to be printed within 24 hours “.

Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, while noting that the centre is a major milestone in the history of the Nigeria Immigration Service since its establishment, lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision of transformation.

“Previously we.personalized passports in multiple locations, about 96 centres across Nigeria and abroad, Nigeria perhaps only comparable to China has operated such a large number of personalization centres, for perspective, the United States has only two, the United Kingdom has one, France three, Bangladesh one and India one. Centralisation is global best practice because it ensures higher quality, better control and greater efficiency in Passport production “.

“This administration under the leadership of Mr President decided to put an end to the multiple location approach which created vulnerabilities and inefficiencies, we promised Nigerians that we would centralize personalization and production and I am pleased to announce that this project is now 100% ready”.

The Minister stressed that the reforms in the Nigeria Immigration Service would enhance service delivery, efficiency, and accountability that would rate Nigeria high among the comity of nations.

Nkiru Njemanze, Edited By Grace Namiji