Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has urged Nigerians to take advantage of the digitalised process when applying for a passport instead of patronising touts and corrupt officials
The minister made the call during the rollout of the enhanced e-passport and inauguration of the Ibadan passport production Centre in Oyo state on Monday.
The minister lamented that Nigerians still patronised touts and corrupt officials, thereby working against processes initiated to eliminate corruption in the application process.
He said, “When they are disappointed, they come to report to us. Of course, we have zero tolerance for corruption and subversion of due process.
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“We take seriously any such report and invoke the necessary disciplinary measures.
“I will implore applicants to stop patronising touts and our officials directly. Follow the process we put in place; apply for passports and pay online.
Aregbesola further stated that the only time engagement with NIS officials is required in the passport application process is during the biometrics registration.
“The only engagement with our staff is the enrolment of your biometrics,” he said.
The minister further stated that the time frame for the processing of a fresh passport apllication is a maximum of six weeks, while that of renewal is three weeks at the most.
“We work within this schedule to enable us investigate any claims made by applicants and verify them for the final document.
“If there are challenges, eventually you will get your passport before your due date of travel, if you apply early enough.
“Nowhere in the world is passport administration done on a wait-and-get basis except in extreme emergencies. The only wait-and-get passport is passport photograph,” he said.
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