The Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board has been assured of a seamless processing and issuance of the enhanced passport for the State’s intending pilgrims participating in the 2023 Hajj and Umrah (lesser hajj) exercises in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The assurance was given on Wednesday by the Passport Control Officer, Nigeria Immigration Service, Alausa Passport Office, Assistant Comptroller Mrs. Gladys Chukwuedo (psc) when the Board’s management paid her a courtesy visit in her office in Alausa, Ikeja.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Mrs. Lolade Aina who led the Board Secretary, Mr. Saheed Onipede and others on the visit, told the Passport Control Officer that the team was in her office to familiarize and seek assistance of a speedy processing and issuance of the E-passports for the intending pilgrims so as to guarantee their performance of the holy pilgrimage in Makkah and Madinah.
According to the Permanent Secretary, many of the intending pilgrims have made payment for the spiritual exercises coming up between April and June but are yet to get their International passport issued, stressing that without the passport, the intending pilgrims would not be able to actualize their dream.
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Aina pleaded with her host to assist the Board towards ensuring that all the affected persons are given privileged consideration so that the enhanced passports are issued on time in order to meet the deadline for visa procurement set by the Saudi Arabian Embassy.
In her response, Mrs. Chukwuedo appreciated the Permanent Secretary and her team for the visit, saying that her office is ready to support the Board in its quest to ensure that the operation is made easy for the intending pilgrims.
She used the avenue to educate her guests about the procedures involved in obtaining the enhanced passport which she said was highly technical unlike the old passports.
She added that every applicant for the E-passports must ensure that the name they filled in the immigration on-line portal must be the same as their information in the NIN registration, adding that once there is any disparity, such application would be rejected.
The Permanent Secretary was also accompanied by the Deputy Director, Admin. & HR, Mrs. Ganiyat Ojomu; Deputy Director, Operation, Mr. Kamal Zubair and Deputy Director, Finance and Accounts, Mr. Wasiu Kaka.
Others are Asst. Director, Admin. & HR, Mr. Adekola Akanni; Asst. Director, Public Affairs, Mr. Taofeek Lawal; Head of Procurement unit, Mrs. Khadijat Oluwa, amongst others.
