By Alaba Olusola Oke
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) says its successes in the past 60 years have outweighed its challenges.
Mr Kayode Afolabi, Comptroller of NIS, Ondo State Command, stated this on Friday in Akure during the 60th anniversary celebration of the service by the command.
Afolabi said that the feat recorded by the NIS should not be taken for granted.
He said that the service over the years had grown in leaps and bounds, excelling in its constitutional responsibility guaranteed by the act of parliament, Nigeria Immigration Act, 2015 as amended.
“We are gathered here today to celebrate Nigeria Immigration Service, its achievements and contributions toward maintaining the security of lives and properties of our people over the years.
“In the area of passport reforms which is one of the core mandates of the Service, over the years the Service has been able to improve the passport production and issuance process inculcating technology to make our passports compliant with global best practices.
“Gone are the era when we issued Machine Readable Passports (MRP), now we issue enhanced e-passports with features consistent with what is obtainable globally.
“Indeed it has been eventful 60 years full of successes and challenges, we are bold to say that the successes of the past 60 years far outweighs the challenges,” he stated.
According to him, in the area of service delivery from 2016 to October 2022, it is on record that NIS has been rated the top performing agency in Nigeria across all reform areas on ease of doing business.
Afolabi said that the service had contributed immensely to industrialisation drive of the Federal Government by issuing permit to foreign expatriates.
He said that the service through its personnel manned entry points to the country, ensuring that criminal elements were hindered in entering.
In his goodwill message, Commandant of the Nigeria Civil Defence and Security Corps (NSCDC) in the state, Mr Olayinka Olatundun, said that the NIS had been doing a great human job.
Olatundun, who expressed his joy over development of technology employed by the service, asked all personnel of the service to contribute their quota for its betterment.
The theme of the 60th anniversary is : “Enhancing Seamless and Regular Migration”. ( NAN)
