…Clears backlog of passport applications
By Folorunso Alagbede, Abuja
The Nigeria High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, UK, Amb. Sarafa Ishola has revealed that the Mission had processed over 24,000 passports in the last three months.
Ambassador Ishola stated this when he received Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) who paid him a courtesy call at the Mission House in London.
The Mission, he added, had cleared a backlog of 17,000 applications since he assumed office.
According to him, “The Mission now posts passports to applicants rather than the previous process of coming back to collect their passports”.
The High Commissioner, according to a statement yesterday by the Head, Media and Public Relations Unit, NIDCOM, Abdur-Rahman Balogun also expressed desire for diaspora remittances to be channelled to sustainable sectors of the economy, while stressing that he will focus on strengthening bilateral relations between Nigeria and the Uk.
The Envoy stressed that the Mission had continuous engagements with various diaspora groups in the UK and advised them to work in unity and as one entity.
Speaking earlier, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa commended the dynamism the newly appointed Nigerian High Commissioner to UK, Amb. Sarafa Ishola and the staff of the High Commission ,have brought into issuance and clearing of passports backlogs in UK.
Presenting a copy of the Diaspora policy to the High Commissioner, the NIDCOM Chairman applauded the innovations as relates to passport issuance at the Mission, stressing that it should be the norm and not an aberration.
Dabiri-Erewa, who witnessed the positive testimonies of some Nigerians present at the Mission for passport issuance, encouraged the new Envoy not to rest on his oars.
