Nigerians in New York Urge FG To Provide Passport Printers For Consulate.

By Caroline Ameh

Concerns have been raised by Nigerians residing in New York regarding the lack of passport production printers at the Nigerian Consulate, prompting calls for intervention from the Federal Government to enhance passport services in the United States.

During the virtual 12th Town Hall Meeting organized by the Consulate for the Nigerian Community, attendees highlighted the necessity for passport printers to streamline the passport issuance process.

The New York Jurisdiction, which encompasses 20 states including Connecticut, New Jersey, and Massachusetts, has been particularly affected by the absence of such equipment.

Expressing dismay over the situation, Nigerians questioned why the Federal Government had only designated one passport production center, located in Washington D.C., for the entire U.S. territory; despite the New York Consulate serving a larger number of states and processing a significant volume of applications, it lacks the necessary infrastructure for passport production.

The Moderator of the meeting, Mr. Olayinka DanSalami, echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the urgent need for action from the authorities.

He noted that various organizations, including the Organisation for the Advancement of Nigerians (OAN) and its partners, had previously appealed to the Federal Government to install passport production printers at the consulates in New York and Atlanta.

In response to the mounting pressure, the Consul General of Nigeria in New York, Amb. Lot Egopija, assured attendees that efforts were underway to address the issue. He confirmed that the Government had been informed of the situation and had pledged to provide passport production printers to the New York and Atlanta Consulates in the next phase of equipment issuance.

Amb. Egopija expressed gratitude to the Nigerian community for their engagement and feedback, underscoring the Consulate’s commitment to ensuring timely passport issuance.