Kunle Adelabu
Residents of Ikorodu Division, and others that will be making use of the Igbogbo Passport Office of the Nigerian Immigration Service, have been assured of effective and efficient delivery of service by the management of the facility.
The officer in – charge of the new facility that will be commissioned on Friday, Mr Muyiwa Odunubi who is a Deputy Comptroller and Mr Babatunde Afuwape, a chieftain of Igbogbo Development Association (IDEA), gave the assurance on Wednesday, when THE IMPACT visited the office as follow up to its stories over time, to ascertain preparations for the commissioning of the facility tomorrow.
Meanwhile, the Passport Office located at the back of Miksson Onas Event Hall, along the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Road, Igbogbo, for the start will be an acquisition (capturing) centre only, while the production will be at the Ikoyi office, until necessary facilities are installed at the centre for production.
Mr Odunibi, who was posted to the Igbogbo Passport centre which has been completed through a partnership between the government and the Igbogbo community, since June this year, revealed to our reporter that full operations will commence next Monday.
“After the commissioning on Friday, we will be going into the real business which is attending to the people’s problems in terms of passport issuance. We are going to be attending to people in lgbogbo and lkorodu Division in general, and even extend people outside Ikorodu”, he said.
“We will be starting operations fully on Monday by God’s grace.
“For now, it is a passport front office which will acquire and after few days, the production would come back from Ikoyi. That is after five to seven days’ acquisition”, he explained.
He said that notable personalities are being expected at the commissioning on Friday, while commending the community for its support for the readiness of the Passport Office.
“The commissioning on Friday, will be a brief and unique programme. We will be having dignitaries all over the Ikorodu Division and beyond to rejoice with us on this new passport front office”, he said.
“We are expecting dignitaries that will attend to our needs and support us in satisfying the public.
“We really thank the Igbogbo Development Association (IDEA) for its involvement in making the passport office functional, and we are going to fully recognise the roles that IDEA played in making this place ready. They really did a lot. I am impressed and I appreciate them”, he said.
The Deputy Comptroller General also assured the residents of good service delivery.
“I am assuring the residents of seamless operation. We are going to give them our service in the most seamless way. I am also assuring them of adequate security, while there is solid arrangement for their cars to be parked whenever they are here”, he said.
“We have staff that will attend to them perfectly. That is what I am assuring them. We have disciplined staff that would give them the best”.
Mr Babatunde Afuwape, a chieftain of Igbogbo Development Association (IDEA), who was also on ground during our team’s visit, also spoke on behalf of the Igbogbo community. He thanked the government and others for the facilitation of the facility for Igbogbo.
He stated that the Igbogbo Passport Office will contribute immensely to the social and economic development of Igbogbo, and also reduce pressure on other offices, of the passport agency.
“I must thank the Federal Government, the Lagos State Government and the Nigerian Immigration Service for siting the passport office in Igbogbo. We are very grateful because within the Ikorodu Division, Igbogbo was found worthy to have this facility”, he said.
“Our belief is that, this facility will further boost the economic potentials of Igbogbo, and attract more developments. The people of Igbogbo are very grateful and happy for this facility.
“This facility will reduce pressure on other passport office and instead of residents going out to Ikoyi and other places for passport, the facility is now at our door step and they can easily access it. We are thankful to all stakeholders that are responsible for the facilitation of this project and its completion”, he said.
While thanking the Adeboruwa of Igbgogbo and the family that donated the land for the Passport Office, Mr Afuwape also appealed to the people to make good use of the facility and cooperate with staff of the Passport Office.
“I must also thnak our Alaiyeluwa, Oba (Barrister.) Semiudeen Orimadegun Kasali who facilitated this project along with other stakeholders. It is also important to thank the family that donated this land on which the facility has been built. We are very thankful”, he said.
“My appeal to the people is to explore the facility instead of going outside the town to get their passports. I also want to appeal to them to ensure decorum and cooperate with the officials that would be attending to them.
“All of them will be attended to, and we are also mindful of the assurance given by Minister of Interior regarding expeditious process on passport. There will be no need to rush, rather, people should cooperate with the Immigration officials to make the process seamless”, he appealed.
