Return payment for passport to remita platform, CSO urges NIS
By Dorcas Jonah
The Initiative for Citizens’ Rights, Accountability and Development (ICRAD) has called on the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to return the payment for international passports to the remita platform.
The Executive Director of ICRAD, Hassan Luqman, said this in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.
He said this would ensure safety assurance and maximum revenue benefits to the Federal Government.
According him, NIS should take up its primary responsibilities and duties of producing all types of Nigerian passports locally and immediately.
“This can be easily done with the use of Nigerian Minting and Printing. This will enhance observance of local contents.
“NIS should be in the management and control of the Nigerian passports database.
“Effect of the current practice on the Nigerian security and its entity is unpalatable and disastrous,” he said.
Luqman said that the group had followed the activities of NIS over the years, as one of the key securities and revenue generating Federal Government institutions.
He urged President Bola Tinubu to beam searchlights on the activities of NIS.
“Many issues bedeviling NIS which have hampered it from discharging its statutory responsibilities to the Nigerian people has remained intractable, defying all calls from Nigerians for solutions.
“This is especially as it relates to procurements for production of passports and other related issuances from NIS, payments platform for NIS activities.
“Data capturing and protection as well as other sundry issues relating to the Nigerian passports by the technical partners in charge of the service are also part of the issues of passport production in the country,” he said.
Luqman said that ICRAD acknowledged the progress made by the present administration to give a true definition of Renewed Hope Agenda to passport applicants.
“If other MDAs can act the way of the Ministry of Interior, challenges encountered by Nigerians will be a thing of the past.
“The efforts of the current Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo and the Comptroller-General of Immigration are highly commendable and pleasing to the Nigerian people.
He called for the immediate termination of contracts with private companies involved in the printing of Nigerian passport.
This, he said would protect the integrity of the data supplied by Nigerians and foreigners doing business in the country as well as ensure that the country earned adequate revenue for services being rendered.
“Recruitment into the NIS should be made more transparent and available to all qualified Nigerians.
“The cabal perpetuating illegal recruitment into NIS should be investigated, dismantled, and any officer found wanting, to be prosecuted.
“Delivery of passport to applicants in their respective homes should be made optional.
“Where this is chosen, the Federal Government should benefit from the payment,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
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Edited by Joseph Edeh
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