The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) has presented the prestigious award of “Most reform minded agency year 2020 to Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).
The Service Public Relations Officer (SPRO), Mr Sunday James, disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen on Thursday in Abuja.
James said that the service under the leadership of its Comptroller General, Mr Muhammad Babandede, has undertaken various reforms that has encouraged ease of doing business through the visa regime.
He recalled that most recently President Muhammadu Buhari presented the Nigeria Visa Policy 2020 to the public on the Feb 4th.
“A product of visa reform that has transformed the countries visa regime in the diplomatic circle, practice and also the biometric e-visa for international travelers to Nigeria, ” he said.
James said that the service had also embarked on a document and process reform for all official documents and ways of rendering services to the general public culminating in the review of the Immigration Act of 1963 birthing the Immigration Act 2015.
“This also birth Immigration Regulation 2017, NIS National Border Management (NBM) 2019-2023, Immigration Manual 2019 for laws, regulations, and processes of issuance of facilities across the NIS service widows.
“The NIS National Border Management Strategy (NBMS) 2019 – 2023 is the driver document for the border management strategy emplaced to strengthen secured and safe border.
“And part of which is the deployment of the Border Control tool known as Migration Information Data Analysis System (MIDAS) deployed to major Entry points, and four International Airports in the country.
“Also the human resource management, planning research and statistics directorates were upgraded with facilities that enable information on staff nominal roll, disposition, postings, distribution, management and administration and salaries.
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“And as well as all emoluments to be e-based to streamline the management and administration processes in the NIS, ” he said.
The SPRO noted that the passport document and process was reviewed resulting in the production of the 10 year validity enhanced passport with over 25 security features in line with ICAO standard for travel documents of the category passport.
He added that it was a standard used in rating the uniqueness of passport globally, saying the refugee passport called convention passport and other categories of passports were included.
He said that the migration reform which came on July 15, 2019 paved the way for those on Irregular status to get documented and also process relevant documents that ensured their regular stay lawfully in the country,
“This major reform is the basis for visa on arrival at the point of entry for holders of AU passport and other qualified under the policy enshrined in the presidential declaration of visa on arrival for Africans.
“This leadership role aimed at Integration and Unification of Africans for freedom of movement within Africa of Africans. This process was carefully designed taking cognizance of National Security of the country, ” he said. (NAN)
