As the December date for the directive by the Minister of Interior, Mr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, for Nigerians to obtain International passports within two weeks draws near, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) checks reveal that many applicants were unaware of such pronouncement.

In separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the Ikeja Passport Office, some of the applicants said they just got to hear of the development from the NAN correspondent for the first time.

Nigeria’s Minister of Interior told Nigerians on Oct. 4, that the era of waiting for months to get their passports was over. He then announced a two-week timeline for the processing of passport applications.

He made the announcement while giving an update on his directive to the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), to clear over 204,000 backlog of passport applications, which he said was done in three weeks.

The minister also promised that Nigerians would also be saved of the pains of having to wait in long queues to upload the needed information to get their passports issued.

He said that registration would be completed online and the only thing that would be done at any passport office was the biometrics capturing and the collection of issued passports.

He also revealed that the ministry was working at getting the needed equipment to make this possible in December.

“Yes, I gave two weeks deadline. I, however, have to apologise to Nigerians that we delivered on it in three weeks. We had 204,332 Nigerians whose data had been captured. We cannot continue to watch them waiting endlessly. I visited the headquarters of the Immigration Service and told them the narratives must change.

“So in critical frontline desks like Ikeja, Alausa, Ikoyi, Ibadan, Abuja, we ordered that more printing machines be brought in by the service providers. Then we increased the working hours of the personnel of NIS. They started running three shifts.

Mr Idowu Agbede, a business man, who said he applied for an international passport since July, told NAN that he was at the Ikeja Passport Office to honour the date given to him for capturing.

“I am not aware the minister said we can get our passport within two weeks. That will be great. That is what is obtainable in some other climes,”  he said.

Mrs Mabel Okoro, a Civil Servant, said although she was not aware of the directive of the minister, but getting an international passport within two weeks of applying would be a wonderful development and great relief from the hardship being experienced to procure one now.

Okoro alleged that some passport officials had made the collection of passports difficult for some Nigerians, while some other Nigerians get same easier with just a phone call.

“I will be so happy to see it done within two weeks. It is our property as Nigerians, not for the privileged ones only,” she said.

Mrs Adaora Eze, also a Civil Servant, said procuring an international passport within two weeks at all centres would also eliminate touts and fraud.

Eze said that the minister’s directive was a welcome development and urged other government agencies where Nigerians obtain important documents officially should be looked into also.

For Mr Emeka Onwumere, a business man, said hearing the statement of the minister made him happy, stressing that “obtaining a Nigerian passport now is like requesting for an item that one is not entitled to”.

“I am happy to hear it from you now. That is commitment of a government that want to make things easy for the citizens.

“I came here today to capture, I applied more than four months ago. That is not good at all. God will help the minister to achieve this, Nigerians will always remember him for this feat,” he said.

The minister said a total of 204,332 backlog of passports have been cleared, while 94,981 were collected by the applicants, 109,351 have not been collected. (NAN)