The Nigerian government has vowed to clear all international passport backlogs in the country.
This was stated by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, adding that there should not be an excuse for passport delay in Nigeria.
Tunji-Ojo made this known during an appearance on Channels Television on Tuesday.
He was quoted saying “clearing all backlogs shouldn’t take more than two weeks”, adding that the scarcity and delay around fresh passport issuance and renewal fuelled corruption in the sector.
“After clearing these backlogs, no Nigerian should wait for more than two weeks,” he stressed.
The minister claimed further that obtaining international passport as a citizen of Nigeria was a right and not a privilege.
He continued, “It’s a right and not a privilege, Nigerians want that right to be actually theirs, not by somebody offering you your right.”
“What Nigerians want to see is solutions and that is what the President has constantly told us, no excuses.
“In line with the directive of Mr President, it can no longer be business as usual. We have critically analysed all these scenarios – from the point of going online to fill the form to the point of payment, to the point of picking a date, to the point of biometrics, to the point of issuance of passports. And we understand the service providers involved and we have been able to see one or two things to put right.
“We have to digitise and we also have to decentralise the whole enrolment system and make it (possible) for people to walk into the nearest post office, people can walk into may be financial institutions and some many other ways. We are still playing with so many ideas,” he said.