Reps fault production of Green Passport outside Nigeria

By Christiana Ekpa

The House of Representatives yesterday faulted the production of Nigerian Passport outside the country even as it’s said that it was abnormal to produce abroad.

TheVice Chairman, House  Committee on Foreign Affairs Timehin Adelegbe

disclosed this at the public hearing on the incessant malpractices associated with diplomatic posting and deliberate draining of resources on Tuesday in Abuja.

The Lawmaker said that the security features contained in the Nigerian passport document should be guided, adding that printing of Nigerian passport by a private firm outside the country was a miss normal.

According to him, that most Nigerians were not happy with the handling of collection of passports, adding that it was high time such issue was taken seriously and addressed

In his reaction, the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Mohammed Babandede said it was his greatest desired to produce Nigerian passport within the country.

“ Our wish is to produce  even a booklet of Nigerian passport in my our compound,” he said.

Babandede while speaking on the issue of nepotism in NIS foreign posting said it is one of the most lucrative, adding that officers often go the extra mile to lobby their way.

He said that the reason is largely due to their payment that is usually done is dollars and that the pressure is often high as officers talk to ministers, speaker and others to lobby on their behalf.

He however said that since he assumed office, he had embrace transparency on foreign posting as 50 percent is reserved for officers who attended training school, 10 per cent for officers who had received award.

He said that Nigeria had 47 diplomatic missions across the world, adding that officers are only saddled with issuing visa and handling traveling document.

Babandede added that fees realised from these were usually remitted to the Federal Government , adding that contrary to the $40 mullion generated in 2019, in 2020 it generated $20million die to COVID-19 pandemic.