By our reporter
Nigeria’s minister of interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo said the recent increment on acquiring the Nigerian passport was to curb corrupt practices in the procurement process.
The Nigeria Immigration Service announced Thursday there would be a 100 percent increase in passport fees, raising the 32-page five years booklet from N50,000 to N100, 000 and the 64-page 10 years booklet from N100,000 to N200,000. The move was condemned by many Nigerians.
But speaking at a mid-tenure performance retreat in Abuja Saturday, Mr. Tunji-Ojo stated: “Our target is clear: within one week of enrolment, every Nigerian should have their passport in hand. Not just timely delivery, but quality passports that reflect our integrity as a nation.
“My responsibility is not just to make passports available, but to ensure that anybody carrying it is a Nigerian. If you are not a Nigerian, you cannot carry it. It’s about our national integrity.”
He added that the new fees are tied to reforms aimed at eliminating bottlenecks and corrupt practices that have long undermined the passport issuance system. He said applicants who cannot afford to pay bribes as high N200,000 had their passports delayed for up to seven months.
“Some PCOs had so much power that they could decide not to print a passport until they were settled. That abuse of power ends now.
“Even when I was chairman of the House Committee on NDDC, I had to pay hundreds of thousands to get a passport for my 12-year-old daughter. That era is over,” Tunji-Ojo said.
He added that government investments have resulted in the establishment of a centralised passport personalisation centre, said to be the largest in Africa, capable of producing passports five times faster than before and delivering approvals within 24 hours.
Passport issues... Tunji-Ojo Minister of Interior.