KNOCKS: NIMC DELAYS ISSUANCE OF NIGERIA INTERNATIONAL PASSPORT

Abiodun OBA |

What is wrong with us in Nigeria?

About two weeks ago, a student was nominated for an international seminar and needed to get an international passport to embark on the trip.

One of the requirements by the Nigeria Immigration Service is the NATIONAL IDENTITY CARD NUMBER.

The student visited the Nigeria Identity Management Commission (NIMC) at the Ikoyi passport office almost two weeks ago where he got the slip. Thereafter, he went for capturing at the Nigeria Immigration office and completed the process to secure the International Passport.

Then the unexpected and unending wait began!

The Immigration Service could not access details from NIMC Server to process the passport as the service claimed the boy’s Identification details and those of thousand others have not dropped from NIMC server!

When the nigeriamaritime360.com reporter investigated the cause of the delay at NIMC Ikoyi office where the student processed the Identity card, an official of the commission who prefers anonymity for fear of victimization, revealed that the cause was server problem!

On inquiry, it was discovered that even banks and other organizations having one thing or the other to do with National Identity issues of those who were newly captured could not access information of the concerned because of the server problem.

The question on the lips of many now is, “For how long do the applicants have to wait to get their international passports to move on? Do we have to be experiencing this system failure when in other climes such a thing is a thing of the past?

This student in question and millions like him if care is not taken may lose lifetime opportunities because of the inefficiency of the NATIONAL IDENTITY MANAGEMENT COMMISSION(NIMC).

It is our hope that NIMC would rise up and wake the server up before it frustrates many Nigerians who need the Identity Cards for the designed purposes as required by the nation.

Edited by ‘Biodun Soyele