CHANGE? You Will Be Shocked At What I Saw In This Govt. Office. (photos)

In a Country where it's extremely difficult to find any public office that actually works, I hardly expected much but my experience at Warri Passport Office left me stunned.

I have decided to share this because we as citizens owe it as a duty to bring to public knowledge the ills in our public institutions. In same vein, posterity will hold us accountable if we do not commend those that at least tried to make a difference. Having been away from the Country for close to a decade, I have decided to come back home a little earlier and uppermost in my agenda was the renewal of my Nigerian passport. At Lagos ,my siblings had advised that I handle the renewal when I got into my good old town of Warri as the town now boasts of a Passport Office. I actually agreed to this with mixed feelings knowing what the hustle and bustle of anything Warri used to be like. Few days after I arrived Warri, I left for the passport office not knowing what to expect in the company of my two siblings.

My first shock came when at the main gate of the Delta State Government House Annex, manned by different security agencies, a young Immigration officer almost magically appeared beside the passenger door of my car and politely asked; " sir, how may we help you?" For the first few seconds, I was pleasantly surprised and wondered if this was happening in the same Nigeria we have been reading so much filth about.

On realising that I had come to renew my expired passport, this same man politely directed us where to park the car and proceeded with us in tow to where he called the 'servicom' desk. By this time, I had taken a quick assessment of the environment and besides a sign on the wall that reads, "welcome to Warri Passport Office" , there was nothing to tell me I was in a Passport office. I mean, no crowd, no hustling and bustling that is synonymous with your average passport office. At this point, I have become very apprehensive. My mind kept screaming, scam!

Anyway, now at the servicom desk, I met about two people already filling out forms and I joined them while wondering where everyone else was if truly I was in the right place. Few minutes later, one of the officers at the desk ushered us into a fully air conditioned semi hall where over fifty people were comfortably seated watching a news channel on a wide LCD television. Again, I wondered but this time at the serenity and orderliness of the crowd. Something definitely is not right, I reasoned. Then, just as we were settling down, a voice came through the speakers installed somewhere: " Attention please , Numbers.....to....,please move to room 3 to collect your passports". I was still wondering if truly this was Nigeria when another voice called out this time a set of names directing them to two different rooms conspicuously marked SCREENING AND APPROVALS. The orderliness was so amazing that for a moment, I realised that this Country can work again. By now, my inquisitive mind was asking so many questions and as if in answer to one of these numerous questions, a young lady in well fitted uniform emerged from the room marked 'screening and walked briskly into the room marked 'approval'. She emerged from the room in less than two minutes and in very clear voice called out about ten names of people that she asked to follow her for capturing.

I was stunned and took a quick glance at my wrist watch as people left the room in batches creating room for new entrants like myself. My watch revealed that I had spent about forty two minutes when I heard my name over the speakers. I quickly entered the room that I was directed to and met about four busy officers again in an air conditioned room. The interview was brisk, thorough BUT professional.

In all it took an hour and 52 minutes from the time I sat down at the servicom desk to submit my application before my number was announced to go to room 3 for collection of my passport.

Albeit this sounds too good to be true, I must confess that till this moment of writing, I am still wondering how a public office in Nigeria can be so organised , comfortable , courteous and efficient.

Definitely, all hope is not lost in this Country, trust me.

I think anything is possible if you have the mindset and the will and desire to do it and put the time in.- Roger Clemens

God bless you
God bless me
God bless our President
God bless Federal Republic of Nigeria

That's the change bro.

All these people you’re snapping .
I hope you told them you’re putting their pictures online ?

Wow,
Nigerians are the most difficult people to govern, I will advise you should not get all your hope high yet they will eventually disappoint you one way or the other

Why did you come back self, just like that some people sha

This is Nigeria

When the head is good, other body follow join.
But that doesn't mean other institutions are like that.

My own " Testimony of Change " is; I have been at a north eastern state of Yobe for close to three months now, and power supply here is amazing, it's been 23 hours of power daily. When I asked the locals, they told me that the transmission station abandoned for ten years was just completed. Every one here is ready to move to the NEXT LEVEL

What you experience is relative to the volume of applicants in your chosen location. It is not different from what's obtainable in places like Abeokuta where few applicants throngs on daily basis.

Come to the Immigration office at ASSBIFFI road , Alausa or the one at Alagbon, Ikoyi, the large number of applicants alone leave rooms for all sort of wuruwuru and underhand dealings.

Activities of touts, have been reduced greatly, but very much in existence. They operate in cahoot with unscrupulous immigration officers. My passport renewal in June at the Alausa passport office wasn't as smooth and straightforward as yours. I opted for express, which costs me more.

Sirjamo:
My own " Testimony of Change " is; I have been at a north eastern state of Yobe for close to three months now, and power supply here is amazing, it's been 23 hours of power daily. When I asked the locals, they told me that the transmission station abandoned for ten years was just completed. Every one here is ready to move to the NEXT LEVEL

What about security in Yobe?

abc115:

What about security in Yobe?

Greatly improved, no attack for over three years, though BH are still in some communities bordering Niger republic

Pajapaja:
All these people you’re snapping .
I hope you told them you’re putting their pictures online ?

Exactly!

Sirjamo:
My own " Testimony of Change " is; I have been at a north eastern state of Yobe for close to three months now, and power supply here is amazing, it's been 23 hours of power daily. When I asked the locals, they told me that the transmission station abandoned for ten years was just completed. Every one here is ready to move to the NEXT LEVEL

Wow. Really?
I visited Yobe some rugged 7yrs ago...nguru to be precise.

Maxymilliano:
What you experience is relative to the volume of applicants in your chosen location. It is not different from what's obtainable in places like Abeokuta where few applicants throngs on daily basis.

Come to the Immigration office at ASSBIFFI road , Alausa or the one at Alagbon, Ikoyi, the large number of applicants alone leave rooms for all sort of wuruwuru and underhand dealings.

Activities of touts, have been reduced greatly, but very much in existence. They operate in cahoot with unscrupulous immigration officers. My passport renewal in June at the Alausa passport office wasn't as smooth and straightforward as yours. I opted for express, which costs me more.

Holding public officials accountable is indeed what every true citizen of Naija should. When you get to a public institution and you are not treated right pls bring it to SM and ask vital questions by the time they see all the bashings and labels they will sit up and provide better services. You remember the immigration saga? �

Emmahunk:

In a Country where it's extremely difficult to find any public office that actually works, I hardly expected much but my experience at Warri Passport Office left me stunned.
I have decided to share this because we as citizens owe it as a duty to bring to public knowledge the ills in our public institutions. In same vein, posterity will hold us accountable if we do not commend those that at least tried to make a difference. Having been away from the Country for close to a decade, I have decided to come back home a little earlier and uppermost in my agenda was the renewal of my Nigerian passport. At Lagos ,my siblings had advised that I handle the renewal when I got into my good old town of Warri as the town now boasts of a Passport Office. I actually agreed to this with mixed feelings knowing what the hustle and bustle of anything Warri used to be like. Few days after I arrived Warri, I left for the passport office not knowing what to expect in the company of my two siblings.
My first shock came when at the main gate of the Delta State Government House Annex, manned by different security agencies, a young
Immigration officer almost magically appeared beside the passenger door of my car and politely asked; " sir, how may we help you?" For the first few seconds, I was pleasantly surprised and wondered if this was happening in the same Nigeria we have been reading so much filth about. On realising that I had come to renew my expired passport, this same man politely directed us where to park the car and proceeded with us in tow to where he called the 'servicom' desk. By this time, I had taken a quick assessment of the environment and besides a sign on the wall that reads, "welcome to Warri Passport Office" , there was nothing to tell me I was in a Passport office. I mean, no crowd, no hustling and bustling that is synonymous with your average passport office. At this point, I have become very apprehensive. My mind kept screaming, scam!

Anyway, now at the servicom desk, I met about two people already filling out forms and I joined them while wondering where everyone else was if truly I was in the right place. Few minutes later, one of the officers at the desk ushered us into a fully air conditioned semi hall where over fifty people were comfortably seated watching a news channel on a wide LCD television. Again, I wondered but this time at the serenity and orderliness of the crowd. Something definitely is not right, I reasoned. Then, just as we were settling down, a voice came through the speakers installed somewhere: " Attention please , Numbers.....to....,please move to room 3 to collect your passports". I was still wondering if truly this was Nigeria when another voice called out this time a set of names directing them to two different rooms conspicuously marked SCREENING AND APPROVALS. The orderliness was so amazing that for a moment, I realised that this Country can work again. By now, my inquisitive mind was asking so many questions and as if in answer to one of these numerous questions, a young lady in well fitted uniform emerged from the room marked 'screening and walked briskly into the room marked 'approval'. She emerged from the room in less than two minutes and in very clear voice called out about ten names of people that she asked to follow her for capturing.
I was stunned and took a quick glance at my wrist watch as people left the room in batches creating room for new entrants like myself. My watch revealed that I had spent about forty two minutes when I heard my name over the speakers. I quickly entered the room that I was directed to and met about four busy officers again in an air conditioned room. The interview was brisk, thorough BUT professional.
In all it took an hour and 52 minutes from the time I sat down at the servicom desk to submit my application before my number was announced to go to room 3 for collection of my passport.
Albeit this sounds too good to be true, I must confess that till this moment of writing, I am still wondering how a public office in Nigeria can be so organised , comfortable , courteous and efficient.
Definitely, all hope is not lost in this Country, trust me.

Cc
Lalasticlalaa
Mynd44
Seun

I salute your objective portrayal of things. I read your piece noting every line carefully. I was watching for political undertone. Now I really do believe you are not 'claiming' but did actually come back. However in addition I would say your shock is understood, but I would rather say you've been away for too long. Some aspects of our lives as people have been working, and been so for a while now. It majorly is born of the resilience of our people.

My submission
You are fresh and just got back, your mind is alive and obviously open to reasoning. Now let me introduce you to some nation building and probably some politicking as they are key components to seeing more or even better than whatever you might have seen already.
Lemme start by saying that we have had poor and worse still substandard leadership over and over, and as it were we are currently experiencing the worst of them all. Social amenities, jobs and the willingness to procure/ provide them is not there. This is because the current fiscal structure is not working. We need the polity restructured. Liberalisation and greater resource control at the states are important. So in the coming elections look out for candidates that understand restructuring for it potentials. Tell your people too. And you will be contributing to a Nigeria you will be proud of.

I've recently used FIRS and CAC websites, and been very surprised by how much I could do online without going to their office. Not perfect, but surprisingly good.


Also, I am importing some goods into the country for the first time and once again I've been surprised by how much of the documentation I've been able to do online & quite efficiently.


Some things are changing.

Sirjamo:
My own " Testimony of Change " is; I have been at a north eastern state of Yobe for close to three months now, and power supply here is amazing, it's been 23 hours of power daily. When I asked the locals, they told me that the transmission station abandoned for ten years was just completed. Every one here is ready to move to the NEXT LEVEL

Transmission station that doesn't have a name.


There had always been some relatively constant power supply in the north

DeLaRue:
I've recently used FIRS, and CAC website, and been very surprised by how much I could do online without going to their office. Not perfect, but surprisingly good.


Also, I am importing some goods into the country for the first and once again I've been surprised by how much of the documentation I've been able to do online & quite efficiently.


Some things are changing.

I actually incorporated two companies from home. Just went to their office to pick COI,CO2 and 7.
You dont need accredited agents for incorporation, unlike before .

omonaijiria:


Transmission station that doesn't have a name.


There had always been some relatively constant power supply in the north

Do I sound like I want to convince you? The millions of people in this state are already convinced, and they will speak loud and clear 81 days from today.

Maxymilliano:
What you experience is relative to the volume of applicants in your chosen location. It is not different from what's obtainable in places like Abeokuta where few applicants throngs on daily basis.

.

Have u been to Abeokuta before making this assumption..speak on what you know and sure of.

Sirjamo:
My own " Testimony of Change " is; I have been at a north eastern state of Yobe for close to three months now, and power supply here is amazing, it's been 23 hours of power daily. When I asked the locals, they told me that the transmission station abandoned for ten years was just completed. Every one here is ready to move to the NEXT LEVEL

how many states in Nigeria have 23hours electricity

worriedguy:
how many states in Nigeria have 23hours electricity

Ask Google

in Alausa it's orderly but we wait under the canopy outside first, someone with mic do give instructions either for data capturing, new application etc before you can enter inside.

Why is there no public fixed fee from Federal govt.?
Nobody knows the fix fee for custom duties, Passport, etc but when the amount is small they make is public like "yellow fever" card is written online for all to see, so no one will jack up the amount for you in the name of helping you.
This corruption from Federal govt. has to stop too .

Sirjamo:
Do I sound like I want to convince you? The millions of people in this state are already convinced, and they will speak loud and clear 81 days from today.

Like I resemble a convincee in your eyes.

worriedguy:
how many states in Nigeria have 23hours electricity

You they mind am.


North have steady supply of light.

A lot of factors contributes to that.

So that is not news as he is portraying it.

Spend 3 months on NE.

He should tell us his Oluyole Power experience

Brove are you sure you are not sleeping.

please how much did you pay?

Some driver's license centers are well organized too, depending on who is heading the place.

Some driver's license centers are well organized too, depending on who is heading the place

Immigration Passport Department Has Always Been Well Organised,no Be Today, thou there are always passport touts outside, bravo to NIS

Ok