Passport Issuance Resumes May 31 — Minister of Interior

Several months after the delay in the issuance of passports, the
Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, on Saturday said the Nigeria
Immigration Service was working to ensure all outstanding passport
applications were issued by May 31.

He also said that from June 1, passports would be issued within
six weeks, explaining that the COVID-19 pandemic affected the
issuance of passports in the country.

He, however, said the government had launched the electronic
temporary passport to ease the burden on Nigerians.

The minister gave the assurance at a webinar organised by
Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) on Saturday.

The event was tagged, ‘Mobilising Nigerians in the Diaspora for
National Development.’

Aregbesola said, “The Nigeria Immigration Service also had their
fair share of the pandemic which affected passport issuance.

“We have launched an electronic temporary passport to ease the
burden of Nigerians.

“By May 31, all outstanding passport applications will be
cleared. We are also looking at domesticating passport printing to
avoid a shortage of booklets for renewal and new passport
collection.

“Also, from June 1, the collection of passports will take six
weeks and this will allow us to carry out due diligence.”

Also speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Foreign
Affairs, Zubairu Dada, assured Nigerians abroad that diaspora
voting may be realised soon.

He said Nigerians abroad were part of the county and as such
should be allowed to exercise their franchise.

The minister disclosed that the Independent National Electoral
Commission and the National Assembly were currently working to make
this materialise.

He said, “NIDCOM is working closely with the relevant committees
of the National Assembly and relevant stakeholders, particularly
INEC, to allow those in the diaspora to vote in Nigeria, and I
remain very optimistic that in no distant future, we should be able
to allow the participation of Nigerians in the diaspora in our
national elections as obtained in other climes.

“INEC and the National Assembly are working to fashion out ways
to actualise diaspora voting in Nigeria.”

Stating the efforts of the Federal Government towards mobilising
Nigerians in the diaspora for national development, Dada said the
government had created an enabling environment for diaspora
investment through the annual diaspora investment summit.

He added that efforts were ongoing to establish an investment
fund.

He also said plans were ongoing to capture the data of Nigerians
in the diaspora, saying that the success of the exercise depended
on the level of cooperation.

Several months after the delay in the issuance of passports, the
Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, on Saturday said the Nigeria
Immigration Service was working to ensure all outstanding passport
applications were issued by May 31.

He also said that from June 1, passports would be issued within
six weeks, explaining that the COVID-19 pandemic affected the
issuance of passports in the country.

He, however, said the government had launched the electronic
temporary passport to ease the burden on Nigerians.

The minister gave the assurance at a webinar organised by
Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) on Saturday.

The event was tagged, ‘Mobilising Nigerians in the Diaspora for
National Development.’

Aregbesola said, “The Nigeria Immigration Service also had their
fair share of the pandemic which affected passport issuance.

“We have launched an electronic temporary passport to ease the
burden of Nigerians.

“By May 31, all outstanding passport applications will be
cleared. We are also looking at domesticating passport printing to
avoid a shortage of booklets for renewal and new passport
collection.

“Also, from June 1, the collection of passports will take six
weeks and this will allow us to carry out due diligence.”

Also speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Foreign
Affairs, Zubairu Dada, assured Nigerians abroad that diaspora
voting may be realised soon.

He said Nigerians abroad were part of the county and as such
should be allowed to exercise their franchise.

The minister disclosed that the Independent National Electoral
Commission and the National Assembly were currently working to make
this materialise.

He said, “NIDCOM is working closely with the relevant committees
of the National Assembly and relevant stakeholders, particularly
INEC, to allow those in the diaspora to vote in Nigeria, and I
remain very optimistic that in no distant future, we should be able
to allow the participation of Nigerians in the diaspora in our
national elections as obtained in other climes.

“INEC and the National Assembly are working to fashion out ways
to actualise diaspora voting in Nigeria.”

Stating the efforts of the Federal Government towards mobilising
Nigerians in the diaspora for national development, Dada said the
government had created an enabling environment for diaspora
investment through the annual diaspora investment summit.

He added that efforts were ongoing to establish an investment
fund.

He also said plans were ongoing to capture the data of Nigerians
in the diaspora, saying that the success of the exercise depended
on the level of cooperation.