TWO-MAN MINISTERIAL INITIATIVE GUIDELINES FOR VALIDATION OF PROJECTS COMMITTEE VISITS NIS
Virginia Agada
As part of the preparations for the Ministerial Performance Retreat, independent assessment of Ministerial performance is being initiated by the office of the Secretary to the Government of Federation (SGF), Cabinet Office.
According to DCI Sunday James, the Service Public Relations Officer, Immigration.
The independent assessment includes verification by visual observation of some of the performances of MDAs. The aim of the exercise is to obtain evidence on what Ministries have accomplished or is in progress.
The team which had Mr Rajeem Aremu and Ukaigwu Lilian visited the Nigeria Immigration Service Headquarters Abuja and were taken round for visual assessment of the various tools deployed for monitoring and control of human mobility into Nigeria.
Facilities were assessed include NIS Command and Control Centre, INTERPOL i-24/7 Centre at NIS Headquarters, MIDAS facilities for passenger clearance at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja, Automated Visa on Arrival (VoA) and Temporary Work Permit (TWP) and Implementation Tools for Border Management Strategy 2019 – 2023.
The CGI, Muhammad Babandede, MFR, while addressing the Committee, emphasized the importance of the forensic tool and the Advance Passenger Information System (APIS). He said if adequately deployed, these tools will help in reducing reported cases of lost and stolen documents, forgery and cases related to identity theft which will aid the tracking of reported cases before re-issue or replacement of a lost or stolen Passport.
While the Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) provides information to the receiving country before the embarkation of passenger from the country of origin or transit, i-24/7 helps in tracking lost and stolen document STLD.
The forensic tool is used to query real-time Passport and visa issuance with the aim of ascertaining the officer that issued the station and the documents supplied for the process and whether it was approved or rejected.
Migration Information Data Analysis System deployed to Airports also serves the purpose of data collection by capturing the fingerprints and facial of the passengers being cleared.
The Command and Control Centre at the NIS Headquarters provides real-time on-the-spot view of Control Posts connected to it. This means, all activities of officers at Control Posts can be viewed real-time from the Service Headquarters when connected.
