The Passport Office in Festac, Agboju Amuwo, Local Government Area ( LGA), Lagos State, is no longer the way it was five years ago. It has undergone some visible transformations. There is now more office space for operation, and the officers have become more orderly and courteous in attending to applicants and applications.
Many years ago the queues of applicants were long. Applicants queued outside the office gate and milled around the premises jostling for the attention of the passport officers. The passport application, face, and data capturing, and collection process was apparently chaotic.
Applicants struggled to outdo one another so that their applications would receive attention and be scheduled for capturing and their information processed and imputed into the server in line for their passports to be produced.
It was evident then that there wasn’t an orderly effort by the assigned officers who received the applications and scheduled applicants for data and face capturing. It was like a marketplace.
If you were at the Festac Passport Office several years ago you would also notice that the passport officers had a limited office to carry out their work and receive applicants. This apparently contributed to the crowding that was prevalent at the time.
All that has changed. eWorldnews was there a few days ago and noticed so many things have changed. You could see some order and promptness with which you are attended to. The crowding and milling around have thinned and you could hardly see people around the gate of the complex housing the passport office.
The Festac Passport office now has more room to operate. The passport collecting process has been improved upon. Once you are notified your passport is ready for collection and you get to the passport office, you are ushered into a waiting place, while your already-produced passport is sorted out and handed over to you.
You could also witness some courteous approach among the officials. This particular day an official came around to speak to those waiting to collect their passports and offered drinks and food for those who wanted them, this was because they had waited for too long, as the DCI was having what was described as a ‘crucial meeting’ with all the officers.
The Public Relations Officer, of the Festac Passport Office, Rex-Elem Ijeoma, told eworldnews that the changes taking place at the Festac Passport Office started when Deputy Comptroller of Immigration, Mrs. Adeola Adesokan took over as Passport Control Officer at the Festac Station, several months ago.
According to her, DCI Adesokan brought in a management style that ensures that officers take their work seriously and attend to applicants promptly.
“She often carries out routine checks of the passport application processing activity and ensures officers are on their desk carrying out their duties diligently, and according to schedule”, Alex-Elem said. Also, more office space has been provided for the handling of passport applications, production, and sorting to end the crowding of the passport office environment.
