There is a looming scarcity of passport booklets due to a cash crunch, it was learnt yesterday.
Service providers are owed billions, while printed booklets are stuck in warehouses over debts.
Also, bureaucratic bottlenecks over the remittance of Nigeria Immigration Services (NIS’) share of revenues from passport issuance have become a major obstacle.
The situation is threatening to derail reforms initiated by the Federal Government to ease the burden of e-passport issuance.
It was learnt that booklets have been exhausted.
The e-passport reform is faced with bureaucratic challenges, especially with the Treasury Single Account (TSA).
The TSA is said to have become inactive as officials are yet to address all stakeholder concerns regarding funds distribution challenges.
TSA refers to a public accounting system using a single account or a set of linked accounts by the government to ensure all revenue receipts and payments are done through a Consolidated Revenue Account (CRA) at the CBN.
The development has made it difficult for the NIS to access funds to offset huge debts running into billions of naira owed service providers.
Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, had initiated reforms that led to the clearance of over 200,000 passport backlogs.
However, the current situation may result in another accumulation if not urgently addressed.
Findings by our correspondent in Gwagwalada and the Headquarters of the NIS in Abuja indicated that applicants are having a tough time obtaining the document.
There were also complaints from Alausa, Alimosho, and Ikoyi passport offices in Lagos.
Top officials of the NIS who spoke with our reporter in confidence said the Service should not be blamed for impending passport scarcity.
One of them said: “Let me give you an example.
“The cost of the 32-page passport booklet outside Nigeria is $132, while the cost of the 64-page category is $230.
“If an application is made outside Nigeria, the payment goes straight into the federal account which is shared amongst the three tiers of government.
“The NIS has no control over the money that comes in from abroad.
“The revenues from abroad form 50 per cent of the entire proceeds for passport issuance.
“For the ones paid for in Nigeria, we not only have to apply for funds before we are considered, but all services related to the printing of fresh passports and payment of other service providers in the value chain are from that 50 per cent.
“So, our application goes through many agencies of government while we keep our service providers waiting until we fulfil all righteousness before we can pay them.”
Within the past year, no fewer than 105,000 e-passport booklets have been printed.
These include 35,000 copies of the 32-page category and 70,000 copies of the 64-page.
Another source said: “At present, the 32-page category has been exhausted due to its high demand.
“This means that there is already a scarcity of passports.”
According to the source, there are 48 passport-issuing outlets outside Nigeria, with 44 in the country
The source explained that there are booklets to be delivered to the NIS by the printers, but they are stuck at Customs and courier warehouses because of huge debts.
It was learnt that Customs and DHL are among the service providers insisting on payment of their outstanding debt before the documents are released.
NIS Public Relations Officer, Dr Dotun Aridegbe, a Comptroller of Immigration, could not be reached to confirm the developments.
He did not pick up his calls and had yet to reply to text messages on his WhatsApp as of the time of filing this report.
Monday, March 11, 2024
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