Nigerians in U.S. have again appealed to the federal government to provide passport production printers to the New York consulate to enhance smooth passport services.
The concerned Nigerians made the call at a virtual 12th town hall meeting hosted by the consulate for the Nigerian community under its jurisdiction.
The New York jurisdiction comprises Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Nebraska, Ohio and North Dakota.
Others are South Dakota, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Vermont and Pennsylvania.
During the question-and-answer segment of the meeting, the Nigerians wondered why the government would have only one passport production centre in the U.S., which is in Washington D.C.
Nigeria has three missions in the U.S. (consulates general of Nigeria in New York and Atlanta, and the embassy in Washington DC).
The embassy in Washington DC is Nigeria’s only passport production centre while the consulates take biometrics and send them to the embassy for passport production.
They questioned the decision to provide two passport production printers in a centre that has 10 states under its jurisdiction and none in the New York consulate, which has 20 states under its jurisdiction.
According to them, New York consulate has the highest number of states and accepts the most significant number of applicants across the United States.
They also questioned the response of the government to several appeals made on the issue.
Similarly, the moderator of the meeting, Olayinka DanSalami, shared the same sentiments with the concerned Nigerians.
The Organisation for the Advancement of Nigerians (OAN) and 20 partners in New York had on February 6 appealed to the government to install passport production printers at the consulates in New York and Atlanta.
In a letter addressed to interior minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, OAN expressed concern over the lack of printers at the two consulates.
Mr Dansalami, OAN board member, however, called on more Nigerian associations to join in the campaign of demanding the provision of the machines to enhance improved consular services in the two consulates.
In his response, the consul general of Nigeria in New York, Lot Egopija, said, “We have informed the government, and we have been assured that they will provide the passport production printers to New York and Atlanta consulates in the next phase of passport production machines issuance.”
(NAN)