By Victoria Onehi
The Minister of Interior,Dr Olubunmi Tunji- Ojo has disclosed that the Federal Government has created a Visa approval centre in Abuja where immigration officers work 24 hours a week to make Visa issuance seamless.
Tunji- Ojo disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja, at a media parley to reel-out the Ministry achievements in the last one year and unveil plans for 2025.
The Minister said:”Now,when you have Nigerian Visa from all over the world,it’s been approved from here. All applications will go through the Interpol data system as well as through other criminal watch list. We will have to do a background check of you before we can allow you to come into Nigeria.”
Again,the Minister said the Contactless Passport that allows Nigerian citizens to apply for and renew their passports without visiting an immigration office will be fully in use for Nigerians from March this year. The app which is available to Nigerian citizens aged 18 and above and designed to be convenient,secure and efficient was launched on November first 2024 starting with Nigerian citizens in Canada.
He said:”I am happy to see us launch the centralisation of passport production in the country, as well as the expansion of contactless biometric solution beyond Canada.In 2025, our reforms will continue, as well as, see new directions across board.”
Speaking further,the Minister said the Ministry was able to generate over six billion naira last year.
“In total,last year,we were able to generate 6,004,437,000 naira. That is over 150 percent increase in terms of 2023 revenue.We also have our targets and ofcourse with the optimisation of our division,we are sure by the grace of God,we will be able to perform better this year.” he said.
The Minister announced that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) has graciously increased inmates feeding allowance by 50% to fulfil his #RenewedHope pledge to inmates in Correctional Centres across the country. Hence,the daily feeding allowance has increased to over 1000 naira from 750 naira.
Tunji- Ojo said some of the Correctional centres that are not really affected by urbanisation,the government will salvage by virtue of an upgrade.”We started with Kuje Correctional centre.When you go to Kuje now,its really a different idea from what the Correctional service use to be.We hope that in 2025,we will be able to intervene in other regions.”
In the Federal Fire Service, the Minister said he will expedite action to see that the bill before the National Assembly is passed to see Fire service serve as a regulator, enumerator, and operator.
“Also,by the end of this year, we will be having the most productive and best Fire service Academy in West Africa, because we understand that Fire service goes beyond fighting fire outbreaks it should be an agency that equip personnel with requisite knowledge to bring about better results.
“On our plans for the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC), we will leverage technology to enhance their operations while empowering our officers, especially those in the Special Intelligence Guard, Safe School Initiative, Female Squad, and Mining Marshal.” Tunji- Ojo said.
