The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced that the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has successfully cleared a passport backlog of nearly 60,000 applications within just four working days.
This announcement was made during a visit by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, to the Ministry of Interior in Abuja.
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Immigration has cleared 60,000 Passport Backlogs. Photo: NAN[/caption]
Minister Tunji-Ojo said the passport backlog was a significant problem when they took office, and they were determined to resolve it.
He mentioned that the backlog had been reduced to 59,906 applications, down from over 200,000 when they issued a two-week ultimatum on September 6, 2023, to clear the backlog.
Minister Edu's visit aimed to establish a partnership between her ministry and the Ministry of Interior to address issues such as human trafficking, poor veterans' welfare, underemployment, and poverty among citizens.
She highlighted her ministry's role in supervising the NIS and addressing human trafficking issues,
Business Day reports.
The Interior Minister assured Edu of his cooperation, emphasizing that their efforts align with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's #RenewedHope Agenda. He stressed the importance of collaboration to tackle various challenges facing the country.
The interior minister is therefore assuring her of his cooperation.
“His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed us to see the place of partnership as agents of his #RenewedHope Agenda, and we are here to deliver on this mandate,” he added.
“We assure you of our support. Your initiative is progressive and commendable, especially at this crucial time in the history of our country. There is a lot of work to be done, and we cannot work in silos as the President has directed.”
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