In a prompt response to the concerns of Nigerians in the Diaspora over the scarcity of passport, the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has directed the reactivation of faulted equipment at the passport offices in Atlanta and New York.
Tunji-Ojo stated that the decision came after receiving petitions from Nigerians abroad, urging the government to address the issues with the broken-down equipment at the consulates in both cities in the United States.
The minister, in a statement issued by his media aide, Alao Babatunde, directed the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to swiftly deploy new printers to the passport offices in both US cities.
“These printers are prepared for installation, and the aim of this short-term solution is to promptly address the current challenge,” the statement added.
The statement further read: “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.
“Part of this plan includes the activation of the Passport Personalisation Centre ( PPC) 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 under the Minister 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.”