The Comptroller of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Rivers State Command, James Sunday has advocated proper enforcement of the E-Payment and Online Application policy, declaring that the policy will put an end to touting and rowdiness in passport offices nationwide.
According to him, introduction of the e-payment and online application for passport will discourage touting and third party influence. “The enforcement of e-payment and e-application will go a long way to remove touts and touting from the passport process and also reduce the traffic that results in rowdiness and over crowding of a small spaced office meant to accommodate reasonable number of applicants, but end up accommodating more than necessary people, that turn up due to physical appearance,” he said.
Comptroller Sunday, in a chat with newsmen, insisted that the NIS being the agency saddled with the mandate to oversee the processing and issuance of passport among many of its statutory duties should ensure that e-payment is encouraged to remove extortion and extra charges associated with touts and other elements of corrupt and exploitative acts by unscrupulous elements.
According to him, “These unscrupulous elements take advantage of unsuspecting citizens, who may be desperate to have passports for reasons best known to the applicants, while the touts cash on this demand. With e-payment, human contact is removed and the system will work seamlessly, without bottlenecks between the applicant for passport and the institution, the Nigeria Immigration Service”.
“Emplacement of e-application and e-payment will make the system of application and payment electronic based, thereby bridging the gaps of space and time, and improving electronic documentation, since the application will be done online, through a dedicated and safe email or platform, payment into government account and the institution receiving and processing officially and electronically”.
“The response and feedback mechanism must be electronic to complete the transaction cycle, with a help desk established for contact information about where and when applications are made – for follow-up, applicants may seek to confirm or get information on issues. The officers posted to such help desk must be patriotic, dedicated and motivated possibly with special official packages in the form of allowances.
“And by extension, other officers serving in the passport office should be made to enjoy special renumeration to discourage extortion and tendencies to want to make the process look as if it is difficult and not functional, thereby exploiting the vulnerability of applicants. This in my view, will reduce or eliminate touting, extortion, delays and encourage dedication and patriotism in passport service delivery and administration.”
He also pointed out that the Minister of Interior, who by the power vested in his office, is empowered when and where necessary to revoke or withdraw the travel documents of any passport offender, noting that the passport is a travel document and property of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
He warned the holders of the Nigerian Passport not to violate or abuse the document, warning that the holder at anytime is only privilege to be in possession by reason of constitutional provisions and right as a bona-fide citizen.
“The government or its appointed agents are empowered by the law to issue and can revoke or withdraw same where and when necessary, and may deny anyone who might have committed a passport related offence of the privilege of acquiring one for a stipulated period of time as enshrined in the Immigration Act 2015.”
