by Opeoluwa Quadri
One would not have expected this to be a major problem in another clime, these are common issues that makes citizens lose confidence in the ability of their government to solve basic problems. But issues such as this are prevalent in Nigeria, and no one cares, the parastatals responsible for providing such service do not even hide their ineptitude and irresponsibility when uttering statement like, no water (If you need the fire fighters), no fuel (If you need the service of the police), no light (If you are in an LGA or state ministry requesting for a document). It is perhaps Nigerian.
The case was not different when a citizen reported to YMonitor that he has been unable to renew his passport for over a month. Initially there was no explanation for the delay, but when he reached out to a senior friend in FCT who works with the parastatal responsible, he was told that the reason for the delay is because there are no booklets to print the passport and that he is not the only one affected. The citizen who needed the passport for something urgent has given up, since no one could tell when the booklet will be available. The booklet according to sources is not printed in the country. This is said to be the usual excuse for passport renewal delay year in, year out. One wonder why it is difficult to solve this problem even if we have to start printing the booklet in the country. How do we measure institutional performance if we cannot even solve basic problems such as this? If it takes forever to get an international passport, and it takes more than that to renew it when it expires, how then do we inspire or improve the confidence citizens have in their government, how do we convince a Nigerian that the government has his/her best interest at heart? If the unavailability of booklet keep being the excuse for the delay in passport renewal, why is no state venturing into that front to increase IGR.
Who is exactly responsible for printing of passport, is it the Nigerian Immigration, or the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting PLC, which also has it as one of its mandate to print the Nigerian Passport.
These are some of the responses of citizens to YMonitor on social media on this issue
There is need for government to take initiative, perhaps we need to start giving better excuses not those that will further demean Nigeria in the minds of Nigerians.