By John Obot
The importance of accurate information dissemination in any Organization can not be over emphasized.
One person who surely knows this is the new Passports Officer of the Nigerian Immigration Service in Ikoyi, Deputy Comptroller of Immigration, Mr Olugbenga Odunayo Aiyegbusi.
Mr. Aiyegbusi stated this when he led a team of his top Management Officers on a courtesy visit to the Management of FRCN Lagos Operations at broadcasting House, lkoyi.
The Deputy Comptroller said he was in Radio Nigeria where accuracy and balanced reportage has been a culture over the years.
He extended the goodwill messages from the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and that of the Comptroller General of the Nigerian Immigration Service, Alhaji Isah Idris, both of whom he acknowledged for their immersed support to the service.
He noted that information was powerful and that one must be well informed to excel in any leadership position, hence he had to leave his comfort zone to solicit the assistance of FRCN in his enlightenment programmes, aimed at making the issuance and procurement of Passports seamless.
According to him, one reason Nigerians experience delay in processing the international Passports is that they don’t process it on time as some of them wait until it’s too late.
Mr Aiyegbusi also spoke about the E’ Passport and the Enhanced Passport which he said has passed through processes that has made it acceptable in any part of the World.
In her response, the Director FRCN, Lagos Operations, Mrs Bolanle Owoyemi thanked the immigration Officer and his team for the visit and expressed the hope that things would get better for the country, considering the innovative measures by the immigration service, aimed at enhancing the document and projecting the image of the country.
She noted that though Passports could be applied online, not many people are aware of it and urged the immigration to embark on adequate enlightenment to educate the people.
“People believe that until they get to your office that’s when they can get the Passport, so it takes adequate advocacy, enough sensitisation for people to know that it is possible to get it online.
It’s through collaborative relationship with Media Organizations like FRCN that this can achieved”, she said.
The Director drew the attention of her Guests to the porosity at the nation’s land borders coupled with the insecurity and urged them to to do something about it.
She proposed some adverts and programmes on FRCN stations that will help project the activities of the immigration service.
Among those in the FRCN Management team were the Deputy Director, News and Current Affairs, Mr Fred Shaka-Braimah, the Deputy Director, Marketing, Mr lstifanus Baba, the Deputy Director, Finance, Mr Christian Ukeagbu and the Deputy Director, Admin, Mrs Patricia
