The Federal Government of Nigeria has activated a passport tracking system that allows applicants to monitor and know the status of their application online.

The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola disclosed this during the passing out parade of the 47th Basic Superintendent Course, 2021/2022 at the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) training school in Kano State on Tuesday, 24th May 2022.

He said, “One of the challenges of the NIS in the recent past is in the issuance of the Nigerian passport. I am, however, happy that we have overcome this and have now put in place a seamless passport administration system.

“We have also activated a tracking system that allows applicants to monitor and know the status of their application online.”

The minister who was represented by the Commissioner of the Civil Defence, Customs, Fire Service and Immigration Board, Emmanuel Bassey further stated that before the end of the year, the NIS would boast of a fully digital application system that would remove any stress in the process.

“Let me reiterate my appeal to Nigerians to follow laid down regulations on passport application by going through the NIS online portal.

“Those who go through touts and unscrupulous NIS officials are undermining our effort to eliminate corruption and institute a stress-free application system.

“It is, therefore, your patriotic duty to go through the official channel and avoid any practice that subverts the due process.”

The Minister hinted that their engagement with the NIS reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening internal security of which the country’s borders were an integral part.

According to him, without secure borders, no security measure could work, saying external criminally-minded persons can infiltrate the country and escape at will if the borders are not well secured.

He equally observed that diseases spread from one country to the other through cross border movements.

Aregbesola urged the personnel to put the training and indoctrination to use in manning the border.

“You need to know what the organization you have joined, the NIS, is all about. As you have been taught, your main mission is to man the nation’s borders.” he added.

He therefore lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for his support to the ministry and by extension, the NIS.

The Minister also commended the Acting Comptroller General of Immigration (CGI) of the NIS for his professionalism, diligence, patriotism and the sterling way he had handled the affairs of the Service since his assumption of duty.

Earlier on the occasion, the acting CGI, Idris Jere advised the officers to always be guided by the rules governing the operations of the Service premised on honesty and professionalism.

Jere thanked the Minister of Interior and the Government for the continuous support accorded the Service in its operations and manpower development activities.

Speaking also, the Commandant of the School, Comptroller Ado Rano, stated that the 548 cadets were taken through modern Border Security and Migration Management training, including physical drills to make them fit for the tasks ahead.

He stressed that members of the directing staff of the school demonstrated uncommon commitment during the course and thanked the CGI for the opportunity.

It’s noteworthy that heads of various security agencies, traditional rulers and members of the public graced the occasion.

The introduction of a passport digital tracking system is indeed a welcome development, to assert the least. It couldn’t have come at a better time than now the global community is drastically switching into the digitized sector.

However, such a measure shouldn’t stop at merely pronouncing its existence. Hence, the government and all relevant authorities, such as the NIS, must make efforts to ensure apt implementation as well as adequate sustenance in the long run.

President Muhammadu Buhari has pledged to donate $3 million to the new humanitarian agency set up by the African Union (AU). 

He made this known on 27th May 2022 at the ongoing AU Summit in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.

The summit tagged ‘extraordinary humanitarian summit and pledging conference’, as well as the ‘extraordinary summit on unconstitutional changes of government in Africa’, is being held from May 25 to 28, 2022.

According to a statement by the Special Assistant to the President on Media, Garba Shehu, at the 16th AU extraordinary session, Buhari remarked that more than five million people had been displaced in the Lake Chad region, with 70 percent of them mostly Nigerians.

The president said in tackling this menace, his administration created the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, to respond to the growing issues relating to displaced persons.

“This is in line with the Kampala Convention for the protection and assistance of internally-displaced persons.  I am glad to inform your excellencies that the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs of Nigeria has continued to live up to its mandate in responding quickly to all situations of displaced persons and disaster management.” he said.

Reacting to the establishment of the new humanitarian agency by the AU, Buhari opined that the development would help Africa to effectively coordinate and respond to crises on the continent.

The president therefore pledged to donate $3 million for the commencement of operations at the newly-created AU humanitarian agency, as he called the attention of the Union to rising global warming issues across the world.

Having stated that Africa needed to focus on preserving its aquatic and ecological systems, Buhari said, “We cannot deny the fact that we have a very dangerous humanitarian crisis in our hands.”

“The rationale for the establishment of this agency is to forge a common African position on humanitarian effectiveness and to create an appropriate continental architecture to effectively respond and coordinate humanitarian crises on the continent.

“You will agree that this conference could not have come at a better time, considering the challenges posed by the increasing rate of Internally-Displaced Persons, Refugees and Returning Migrants, to our various countries and the continent at large.

“As you are aware, Mr Chairperson, the world is confronted by emerging threats, such as climate change, resulting in global warming, rising levels in waters, in some climes shrinking of rivers and lakes.

“All these lead to distortions in our aquatic and consequently ecological systems.  Conflicts, violent extremism and terrorist attacks, including herdsmen-farmers clashes and banditry lead to the displacement of whole communities, thus rendering thousands of people homeless.”

On his part, the President of Senegal and AU Chairman, Macky Sall also pledged $3 million on behalf of his country and asked other African leaders to contribute to the establishment of the agency.

In a related development, the President of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Mbasogo who hosted the summit, also promised the sum of $4 million. He said half of the money would go to the agency, while the other half would go to Mozambique.

The gesture as recorded at the AU Summit was commendable and a way forward. But the major plight being usually faced by the continent remains misappropriation of public funds, hence the need to create a measure that would ensure accountability in the long run.

However, it could be mind-boggling that Buhari has been busy donating to several for a across the globe while the various unions in Nigeria’s education sector remain on strike.

African leaders must acknowledge they are expected to tackle the numerous internal crises bedeviling their respective countries before considering the external ones, so their followers wouldn’t end up casting spells on them.