By Milton Tella – The problems associated with the issuance of passports to Nigerians in the UK is getting the priority attention of the new Nigeria High Commissioner to the UK, His Excellency, Tunji Sarafadeen Ishola.
African Voice reporter was on a tour of the immigration department of the High Commission to experience first hand the effect of the new administration on service delivery.
Kibiya Bello, the new Immigration Attaché at the Mission told African Voice reporter that the workforce is working hard to clear the bottlenecks inherited by the new team.
Bello said: “when l resumed, there was a huge backlog due to the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown. The department has been working tirelessly to clear all outstanding applications dated back to January 2020, we are currently servicing applications made in December 2020.”
“For the month of April 2021 alone, we issued out over 10,000 passports, there are days when we attended to 400 applicants. Our personnel are determined to clear all existing applications.”
His Excellency, Chief Tunji Ishola has mandated the Immigration department to ensure the Mission raise the bar in its service delivery. The Immigration attaché said, “Our target this month of May, is to issue 15,000 passports to waiting applicants. The good news is that we have received large consignments of passport booklets and the motivation is there for all staff to put in their best.”
“My appeal to Nigerians coming to the embassy is to exercise patience and be rest assured that the new team has a mission to change old perceptions by providing quick and quality service.”
African Voice reporter spoke with Alhaji Teju Kareem CEO Zmirage UK, who was at the embassy with his wife for passport renewal. He said, “Our passport processing and biometrics capture was hassle free and we were treated with complete human dignity. I felt proud to be a Nigerian and proud of a UK Mission that now works efficiently. However, there are a few adjustments that should be done and I believe they are headed in that direction.”
Alhaja Taiwo Kareem, who was in the company of her husband said, “This is totally a new experience of what the embassy used to be for me, l hope this efficient service will continue.”
Juliana Olabisi Abiade, a UK based Nigerian in a comment on African Voice online said, “I had an appointment at the Nigerian Embassy for a new passport on Wednesday 19th May and was really impressed with how smoothly my journey was. It was a rainy morning and the queue was long but as soon as the door opened, we went in and things were done speedily. Kudos to the staff.”
Bankole Atiba, a minister at the World Harvest Church London said, “My experience on the 19th of May 2021 at the Nigeria High Commission, was to say the least quite different from what l experienced 5 years ago.
Apart from the very long queue that had formed outside the High Commission prior to the doors opening for the day, all of my experiences on the day were quite pleasant.
There was a sense of the staff knowing exactly what they had to do. There was an air of professionalism and an attitude of actually wanting to help us achieve what we came there for.
There was no shouting on the people. There was no ill treatment, the place and the personnel were very organised and everyone knew what to do and was doing exactly that and as a result people were being attended to without any undue delays.
I actually spent just about two and a half hours at the High Commission. A huge departure from the whole day when I last visited five (5) years ago.
Whatever it is that has changed and brought about this change in attitude and service delivery is very much welcome and long may this continue. Amen.”
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