- Nobody can chase you away from Osun, Adeleke assures Aregbesola
- Prostrates to greet minister
The Federal Government has unveiled a passport production centre and the new Passport Front Office in Ilesa, Osun State.
The opening was aimed to make passport application, processing, and production more seamless for the traveling public with the rollout of the enhanced Nigerian e-Passport
Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, stated that the launch of the new enhanced e-Passport, and the production and front office facilities would make it easier for more travelers to access the Nigerian international passport.
According to The Guardian, he said with the inauguration of the facilities, Ilesa has joined the list of places such as Lagos, Ibadan, Enugu, Katsina, Zaria, Daura as well as Nigerian missions in overseas countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada among others where the enhanced e-Passport system has been rolled out recently for easier access by Nigerians.
Aregbesola commended President Muhammadu Buhari for providing the needed leadership for all the achievements recorded by the ministry among which are the reforms of passport administration in the country.
He also commended the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) for its commitment and dedication to the implementation of the numerous reforms of the passport administration.
“The Nigeria Immigration Service has continued to make very remarkable contributions to the overall service delivery and accomplishments of the mandate of the Ministry of Interior, which I have supervised in the last four years.
“The climax of these contributions by the NIS is the widely acclaimed reforms in the passport administration both at home and in the Diaspora,” the minister said.
Aregbesola applauded the NIS under the Comptroller General of Immigration, Mr. Isah Jere Idris, for their professionalism and commitment to qualitative service delivery.
He thanked other stakeholders and service providers as well as the host community for their cooperation in making the Ilesa facilities possible, even as he urged the people to make the best use of the facilities.
In his speech, CGI Jere Idris stated that the enhanced e-Passport was significant to the Service’s drive for robust service delivery to Nigerians and the traveling public.
“The NIS is more than committed to producing results that meet the needs of our present-day society while making the best use of resources at its disposal. The enhanced e-Passport is significant to our drive for robust service delivery to our citizens.
“We are aware of the challenges being experienced by some of our compatriots in accessing passport services in recent times but with the various efforts being emplaced, such as the unveiling of the enhanced e-Passport here in Ilesa, these challenges will soon give way for the emergence of a more seamless passport application and processing. Efforts are ongoing to ensure more front offices are opened in other states to reduce the traffic.”
CGI Jere added that new facilities would reduce delay faced by the travelling public to the barest minimum, while urging applicants for new passport or reissue to abide with the guidelines and ensure they apply and pay online, avoid middlemen as well as ensure they provided correct personal information and verified National Identification Number (NIN).
The Immigration chief enjoined those who may have complaints to use any of the channels in resolving any issue including Twitter @nigimmigration, Facebook – @nigimmigration or www.immigration.gov.ng to interact and chat with the NIS virtual assistant.
The CGI thanked the Minister for his enormous support and encouragement to the NIS, noting that without such collaboration the new facilities and many others might not have been accomplished.
The Punch reports that at the event, Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, assured Aregbesola that he is protected whenever he comes to the state, saying he would be issuing an executive order to that effect.
Adeleke said he was meeting with Aregbesola face-to-face for the first time, adding that the former governor has done so much for the development of the state.
The governor, while addressing Aregbesola, said: “No matter the party you are, a progressive is a progressive. If you are doing what the people want, you are a progressive. When Aregbesola was the governor, he loved Osun State and the people. All the projects he did were abandoned and I promised during the election campaign, that I would complete them. I have started doing that.
“No matter the party you belong to, when you see progressives, you must key into them. Aregbesola is the man of the people and I will continue with the abandoned projects.
“I am assuring you (Aregbesola) that this is your state and I am issuing an executive order on that. Nobody can chase you away. You are welcome at any time.”
Earlier in his address, Aregbesola said he only recorded the presence of his successor at his official events just once, adding that Adeleke attended the commissioning without receiving any phone call or official invitation directly from him.
Aregbesola said: “I only recorded once the presence of the governor that succeeded me and that was during the commissioning of an edifice in Osogbo. But as a governor of another party, this is my first official ceremony since he assumed office. I didn’t make any private calls to him. The governor is here with everybody in his office and administration.”
The minister, who restated the Federal Government’s commitment to ameliorating the challenges encountered by Nigerians in applying for and obtaining the Nigerian Passport through improved service delivery and streamlining of its operations, said the government was also working assiduously to adequately address the growing number of Nigerians who need the passport for other purposes.
He noted that the surge in the number of applications necessitates the establishment of more passport front offices across the country through the determination of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to further make the process seamless.
As reported by Thisday, Adeleke prostrated to greet Aregbesola at the event.
According to the report: “Adeleke is attending ongoing commissioning of Ilesa Passport Production Centre and Passport Front at the Nigerian Immigration Service, Ilesa East Local Government Area of the state.
“Governor Adeleke arrived at the venue at about 12:30 pm, a few minutes after his Deputy Governor, Kola Adewusi, arrived at the venue.
“Immediately he saw Aregbesola, Gov Adeleke prostrated for the Minister and hugged the former governor so warmly.”
