Nigerians residing in New York have reiterated their appeal to the Federal Government to furnish the Nigeria Consulate with passport production printers, aiming to streamline passport services in the United States.
The call was reiterated during a virtual 12th Town Hall Meeting organised by the Consulate to engage with the Nigerian community within its jurisdiction, covering 20 states, including New York.
Expressing their concerns during the interactive session, Nigerian community members questioned the rationale behind having only one passport production centre in the U.S., located in Washington, D.C. Despite the New York Consulate covering 20 states and receiving a significant number of applicants, it lacks passport production printers.
Mr. Olayinka DanSalami, the moderator of the meeting, echoed the sentiments of concerned Nigerians, stressing the importance of installing passport production printers at the New York and Atlanta Consulates to enhance consular services.
Organisations like the Organisation for the Advancement of Nigerians (OAN) and its 20 partners recently appealed to the Federal Government to address this issue. They underscored the necessity of equipping consulates with the necessary infrastructure to facilitate efficient passport processing.
In response, the Consul General of Nigeria in New York, Amb. Lot Egopija expressed gratitude for the community’s advocacy and assured them of the government’s commitment to providing passport production printers to enhance consular services.
“We have informed the government, and we have been assured that they will provide the passport production printers to the New York and Atlanta Consulates in the next phase of passport production machine issuance,” stated Amb. Egopija.
Appreciating the community’s attendance and engagement, Amb. Egopija emphasised the Consulate’s efforts to ensure timely passport issuance, promising continued commitment to enhancing consular services.
As Nigerians in New York persist in their advocacy for improved consular services, they remain hopeful that their concerns will be addressed, paving the way for enhanced efficiency and accessibility in passport processing.
