The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has directed passport offices across the country to work on Saturdays to clear the backlog of passport applications.
This is contained in a statement by the Service’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Tony Akuneme, in Abuja on Saturday. Akuneme said that the Comptroller-General, Mr Isa Jere, who gave the directive, also approved the deployment of the Passport Controller in Ekiti to Jigawa, while the one in Ondo was moved to NIS Zonal Office in Ibadan.
The NIS spokesman stated that going forward, the CG will hold passport officers accountable for any acts of indiscipline by officers under their watch. He added that the directive was to enable the Service to reduce the backlog occasioned by the 2020 and 2021 prolonged lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The CG has directed that passport offices across the country with a high volume of pending applications to work on Saturdays.
“The period for this exercise is expected to be every Saturday commencing from December 3, 2022, to January 28, 2023, between the period of 10 am and 2 pm.
“This is to enhance our service delivery to our esteemed clients.
“The Saturday preceding the Christmas and New Year holidays are exempted,” he said.
The spokesman said passport offices that fall within this category should contact him by Monday for further details.
Akuneme reiterated the resolve of the CG to make passport services available and stress-free to the traveling public, especially during the festive season. (NAN)
