Mobolaji Michael
ACTING Comptroller-General of Immigration, Deputy Comptroller-General Caroline Wura-Ola Adepoju has charged officers and men of the Service to eschew all forms of professional misconduct in the discharge of their duty, this is even as she listed personnel welfare, border security and passport issues as priority areas during her tenure.
Adepoju read the riot act at a parade in Ikoyi Passport Office, Lagos, saying anyone caught would face the music, even as, according to her, personnel welfare and passport issues would be her priority.
Represented by the Lagos Command Controller, Comptroller Mfon Udoh, the Immigration boss said her administration would focus more on staff welfare and issues of border security.
On staff welfare, the CG said she would create time to periodically meet and brainstorm with officers and men to address the issue.
She also charged NIS personnel to adhere strictly to passport processing procedures, mandating Passport Control Officers to ensure that all passport applicants were served promptly and with dignity.
“There should not be any delay in any passport office, and no applicant or Nigerian must be put under any hideous task or maltreatment“, she said.
She further stressed that her decision to focus on personnel welfare and passport issues became imperative given the series of complaints on the two aspects by the citizenry and officers of the Service
The CG, however, promised to establish more passport front offices, especially in Lagos where the population is high, to adequately meet demand.
On his part, the Passport Control Officer, Deputy Comptroller Sanni Jega, urged applicants to stop patronizing touts but rather apply online on their own, stressing that there is no scarcity of passport booklets.
Eighteen-Eleven Media