From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin

A member of the Nigeria Union Association in Italy (NUNAI), Pastor Mike Oputteh, yesterday, called on the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, to step into the non-availability of passports at the Consular office of the Nigerian Embassy in Rome.

“Truth must be told, the embassy is inundated on a daily basis of complaints from Nigerians seeking passports and other consular services. The department, as we speak, needs additional manpower, scanning equipment’s and passport printing machines,” he said.

He said embassy workers in Rome were under  pressure from Nigerians who thronged the embassy for consular services.

Oputteh, in a statement in Benin City, Edo State, also described as unfortunate, the criticism against embassy staff that they are responsible for the inadequate provision of passports for Nigerians as the handiwork of mischief makers, who are determined to undermine the effort of the Immigration Attaches in Rome, Mr Hammed Ibrahim, Mrs Salamatu Isa and others.

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Oputteh, who is vying for the position of welfare officer under NUNAI, however, called for the establishment of a Consular Unit for effective service delivery, just as he urged the Nigeria authority to support the embassy to enable it function effectively.

He said as a group, NUNAI will continue to assist the embassy in ensuring there is orderliness among Nigerians whenever the need arises.

He said the COVID-19 pandemic has hampered the easy access to the passport, in addition to a backlog of application, adding that about 129 applicants apply for passports on a daily basis.

The group also pledged to continue to collaborate and build synergy between Nigerians and the embassy, to ensure the rights of citizens are protected at all times.