The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has directed selected passport offices across the country to work on Saturdays in order to clear the backlog of passport applications.
This is contained in a statement made available by the service’s public relations officer, Mr Tony Akuneme, in Abuja yesterday.
According to Akuneme , the comptroller-general of NIS, Idris Isa Jere, who gave the directive, also approved immediate deployment of the passport controller in Ekiti to Jigawa, while the one in Ondo would be moved to its zonal office in Ibadan.
He said the directive was to among other achievements, enable the service reduce the backlog occasioned by the 2020 and 2021 prolonged lockdown due to the COVID pandemic before the year runs out.
“The C-G has directed that passport offices across the country with 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 10am to 2 pm,” the statement said.
It warned that henceforth, the comptroller-general would hold passport officials accountable for any acts of indiscipline by officials under their watch.
He added that the controller general had resolved to make passport services available and stress-free to the public, especially during the festive season.
“This is to enhance our service delivery to out esteemed clients.
“The Saturday proceeding the Christmas and New Year holidays are exempted.”
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