A governorship candidate of the Accord Party in Kano State for the 2027 election, Mukhtar Gashash, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to review the Nigeria Immigration Service’s decision to centralize passport personalization services, warning that the policy could disrupt the travel plans of millions of Nigerians.
Gashash, who is also the President of the Greater Kano Business Council, GKBC, made the appeal in an open letter addressed to the President, expressing concern over the relocation of passport personalization from centres such as Farm Centre and Dawakin Kudu in Kano to a Central Passport Personalization Centre.
While commending the Federal Government’s efforts to improve public service delivery and strengthen national security, the Accord Party governorship aspirant said the policy should be reconsidered in view of its possible impact on passport applicants across the country.
“I wish to acknowledge and commend your administration’s commitment to improving public service delivery, strengthening national security, and modernizing government institutions. We understand that this policy may have been introduced with the noble intention of enhancing efficiency, security, and quality control in the passport issuance process,” Gashash said.
He, however, argued that the practical implications of the decision on millions of Nigerians, particularly residents of the North-West, deserved careful reassessment.
According to him, Kano remains one of the country’s busiest passport service centres and serves applicants travelling for education, business, employment, medical treatment and religious pilgrimages.
He warned that centralizing passport personalization could result in longer processing and delivery times, operational bottlenecks, transportation challenges and additional inconvenience for applicants with urgent travel needs.
“Kano serves millions of people from across the North-West and beyond. Any policy that may result in longer processing times, logistical challenges, or additional inconvenience deserves a thorough review and broad consultation with stakeholders before full implementation,” he said.
Gashash also appealed to President Tinubu to suspend the implementation of the policy and instead strengthen the capacity of existing passport centres nationwide.
“We believe that strengthening the capacity of existing passport centres across the country, rather than concentrating personalization services in one location, would better promote efficiency, accessibility, and public confidence,” he added.
The Accord Party chieftain expressed confidence that the President would consider the appeal, noting that the administration had shown a willingness to listen to the concerns of Nigerians.
“We respectfully appeal for the suspension and review of this decision in the interest of millions of Nigerians who rely on efficient and timely passport services,” the letter concluded.
