The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has recorded improvement on service delivery at the passport offices nationwide amid Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The Service Public Relations Officer (SPEO), Mr Sunday James, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.
The Comptroller General, NIS, Mr Muhammad Babandede, had directed passport offices nationwide to issue out processed passports from May 4.
James said that the distribution and release of passport commenced nationwide following the ease up on lockdown directives by the Federal Government.
He said that applicants, who were captured before the lockdown were strictly attended to by the passport officers and their officials in order to clear the backlog.
This, he said, gave credence to an improved service delivery and a satisfaction to many applicants that were invited through SMS.
“NIS is monitoring closely the process in an effort to accelerate other service delivery processes that will bring ease in the application for processing and issuance of the passport.
“The standard practice for now is that, in states where the restriction of movement has been eased and people have easy movement, applicants are invited through SMS and given a date to report for the collection of their passport.
“This had reduced the crowd and massive turn-out witnessed in the passport offices in the past.
“The service hope to maintain a robust and more enhanced process and procedures to ensure seamless, self-serving and tracking process by applicants in the new order.”
James enjoined all passport applicants to adhere strictly to the NCDC standard of keeping social and physical distancing.
“Washing of hands with soap at the entrance of the passport offices, use of hand sanitizer, wearing of face mask when visiting any of the passport offices on appointment have now been made compulsory.
“Any applicant that did not receive SMS invitation need not go to the passport office to avoid denial of entry. The Service looks forward to the cooperation of all concerned,” he said.
