[/b]Passport to heaven: Interior minister, decries waiting time, declares N5k ‘compliance fee’ illegal[b]


The Federal Government has declared as illegal, the N5,000 “Compliance Fee” charged by some personnel of the Nigeria Immigration Service NIS in some Passport Offices to help applicants process their passports.

Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo made the declaration while responding to questions by Vanguard.

“Compliance fee? I am hearing it for the first time. We will plead with Nigerians to assist us to succeed. Do not pay compliance fee, if there is anything like that. Do not pay for your rights. There is nothing in the books that is compliance fee. Please, let us educate our people to know”, he stated.

Passport to Heaven?

On assumption of office, the minister had queried the long queues at the immigration passport offices, lamenting that the situation had become as if Nigerians were queuing for passports to heaven.

While he stressed the need to reduce the waiting period to get an international passport, the minister said even as a federal lawmaker and Chairman of the Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC, her own daughter waited for six months to get her passport, wondering what the fate of the average Nigerian would be.

His predecessor, Rauf Aregbesola had instituted a three-week timeline for renewal of passports and six-week timeline for fresh applications. However, as of September 2023, there were well over 204,000 unprocessed applications.

Acting Comptroller General of Immigration, Caroline Wuraola-Adepoju who explained the reasons for the increased backlogs, said the urge by young Nigerians to move out of the country, popularly referred to as the “Japa Syndrome”, led to increased applications since 2021.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/10/passport-to-heaven-interior-minister-decries-waiting-time-evolves-reforms/amp/

As it should be

😟🥵

Nice. Congrats to us.

Way to go !!!👏

🙄😒😒


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Thank you minister of interior. Nigeria must work!

The reformation is on. Kudos to the minister for this decision. God bless you sir.

Do not pay for your right. You are entitled to it. Do not pay any fee for fast tracking anything

Thank God Compliance fee as been declared illegal. We are getting it right in this country. Many will hate Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo but we must put an end to corruption.

Those people that like tipping should stop it.

This is good news, nobody shld pay illegal compliance Fee,thanks to BTO
#BTOisWorking
#RenewedHopeWithBTO

"Do not give money to any tout. "
- Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo. That is Hon Olubunmi Tunji Ojo, so if you pay anybody, you on your own ooo.

The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has made it easy for us now,no more extortion from officials.

God bless you our Hon. Minister. This is a good one and a life made easier

This is good news! nobody shld pay illegal compliance Fee,thanks to BTO
#BTOisWorking
#RenewedHopeWithBTO

Some of these officials make it compulsory for tip(bribe) to be given to them b4 attending to you. Thank you sir for hearing the cries of Nigerians.

#BTOIsWorking

A new sheriff is in town

Imagine the suffering Nigerians have been through because of passport in our country, extortion has to stop. God bless hon.Olubunmi Tunji-ojo. #BTOisWorking

The minister is making sure the rights of citizens are not infringed upon.

The Help we need starts with us first.
Bribery will not gain grounds on less we water.

Do not pay beyond the stipulated amount

I'm loving the minister of interior every day.

Great move. Well done my minister. Thanks for doing the most

This Minister need to be using bullet proof vest.

An institution whose staff rely more on their extortion income instead of their salary income, would not spare anyone who wants to come between them and their corruption.

This guy should not relent, nor should he be complacent with his security.

Thank you Minister, the hardship is already much on Nigerians not to talk of the appliance fee again.

Do not pay compliance fee, if there is anything like that. Do not pay for your rights. There is nothing in the books that is compliance fee.

The minister has said they shouldn’t pay any fee to anyone.

Compliance fee?
I just dey hear am for the first time too.
Thank God we have Minister who is very much in touch with happenings within his Ministry.
Nigerians should support government to help fight this anomalies.

The issue of passports stress will surely end cleared with the new minister of interior Honourable Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo. Good man

Minister Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo's declaration against the unauthorized "Compliance Fee" is a welcome move for transparency. The comparison of passport queues to "queuing for passports to heaven" underscores the urgency of improving processing times. The rise in applications due to the "Japa Syndrome" highlights the aspirations of young Nigerians.

Efforts to streamline processes and reduce waiting times are commendable, and it's crucial to ensure efficient passport processing for all citizens.

The minister’s service to humanity is commendable.

This is fantastic news. There will always be a few bad eggs who must be dealt with to prevent the scourge from caking the entire force.
What I'll like the minister to address now is the official fees cos the amount online is different from what we are asked to pay at the offices