Interior Minister tasks agency heads to put an end to passport queues

The Nigerian Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has cautioned agency heads that passport queues must stop.

He made this known on Wednesday via a statement released by the Chief Press Secretary to the Minister of Interior, Alao Babatunde.

The Minister said,

• “Nigerians should not have to queue endlessly to get passports. No this must stop”.

According to the statement, Mr. Tunji-Ojo reminded the agency heads that actions that deliver value and growth are what was required of them, instead of the usual talks and essay presentations that they were accustomed to.

His words:

• “Talks have not taken us anywhere as a nation. We must get it right. The Ministry of Interior is the heart of any nation. I want you to return to your tables and bring up action plans. It is my job to ensure the ministry is working.”
• The Minister of Interior also highlighted the importance technology has on enhancing the efficiency and accuracy of the immigration and correctional services in Nigeria., saying, “Technology has the potential to revolutionize our immigration and correctional systems, making them more agile and responsive. All I care, we need to embrace innovation and find ways to overcome the current challenges that often lead to bottlenecks in our processes. Our country is great and important. Let’s live up to expectations.”

Below is the full statement:

Office of the Honourable Minister, Ministry of Interior

Press Statement
For Immediate Release…

“Tinubu wants no excuse, we must deliver,” the Minister of Interior charges agency heads

Minister of Interior, Hon. Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has charged agency heads on the need to walk their talk as the country is at a critical point and in dire need of transformation.

Speaking at a brief with the Acting Comptroller General of Immigration, Adepoju Carol Wura-Ola, and Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Haliru Nababa, the Minister reiterated the order of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmad Tinubu, on getting all hands on deck.

• ” I am just returning from a meeting with the president. He is not interested in excuses. We must work and deliver. Anyone who cannot help Nigeria to record progress must be kicked out because we can dreams be great,” he said.
• “Let me know your challenges. I am here to help you solve them. When you solve them and record successes, I am also successful. The time of talks is gone. So, keep your talk. Let us discuss solutions.
• “Nigerians should not have to queue endlessly to get passports. No, this must stop. This is not the Nigeria of our dreams. I need to know the challenges the agency is facing.
• “We must all come together to deploy and invest our expertise to resolve them. Nigerians will take us up on our promises. If we have officers who are not ready for this rigorous process, we will excuse them.”

He reminded the agency heads that the new administration was not interested in usual talks and essay presentations, but actions to deliver value and growth.

He said:

• “Talks have not taken us anywhere as a nation. We must get it right. The Ministry of Interior is the heart of any nation. I want you to return to your tables and bring up action plans. It is my job to ensure the ministry is working.”
• The Minister also underscored the importance of leveraging technology as a means to enhance efficiency and accuracy within the immigration and correctional services.
• The minister highlighted that the implementation of advanced technological solutions could significantly reduce delays and streamline the handling of critical challenges.
• “Technology has the potential to revolutionize our immigration and correctional systems, making them more agile and responsive. All I care, we need to embrace innovation and find ways to overcome the current challenges that often lead to bottlenecks in our processes. Our country is great and important. Let’s live up to expectations.”

Signed:

Alao Babatunde

Chief Press Secretary to the Minister of Interior