The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has said his ministry has adopted measures to reduce congestion and over-stretched of existing facilities in Lagos Passport offices.
This measures according to the Minister has reduced International passports racketeering in Lagos.
He made the remarks over the weekend while receiving officials of the Professional Statisticians Society of Nigeria in his office. The body was led by its President, Professor Waheed Yahya.
According to him the creation of additional passports centres in Ikoyi, Festac, Alausa and Amuwo Odofin substantially reduced passports racketeering.
He however lamented that despite the measures, some Nigerians preferred to follow illegal routes to obtain the documents.
Aregbesola identified statistical data analysis and its scientific use as necessary for successful implementation of government programmes and policies and effective service delivery.
He explained in a statement by the Director of Press in the Ministry, Afonja Ajibola, that his knowledge of and use of statistical data tremendously helped him as an active player at different levels of administration in life.
The Minister regretted that given government intervention in passports issuance, it was unfortunate that many who do not want to follow laid down rules and procedures still land in the hands of unscrupulous people who extort money from them.
