NANS S’West lauds Tunji-Ojo for youth empowerment, passport system overhaul

The National Association of Nigerian Students, South-West Zone D, has passed a vote of confidence in the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, citing what it described as measurable reforms and interventions recorded since his assumption of office.

The students’ body said its assessment of the minister’s stewardship was based on “outcomes that can be seen, measured and felt by the people,” rather than political sentiment, personal affiliation or public applause.

In a statement on Sunday and signed by its Coordinator, Josiah Adeyemo, the association said it represented more than 25 million students across Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti states.

According to the statement, the student body had monitored the activities of the Ministry of Interior since Tunji-Ojo assumed office on August 21, 2023, and observed reforms in immigration, correctional services and youth development.

The association highlighted the clearance of a backlog of more than 204,000 passport applications in about two and a half weeks, describing the development as significant for students seeking international academic opportunities and Nigerians travelling for legitimate purposes.

It said the introduction of contactless passport renewal, increased automation of immigration processes and the deployment of electronic gates at international airports had also helped reduce bureaucracy and improve the efficiency of the immigration system.

The association also commended Tunji-Ojo’s support for the “Students to CEO 2.0” Entrepreneurship Summit, organised by the NANS Joint Campus Committee, Ondo Axis, through which business equipment were provided to 200 students from 10 tertiary institutions, with 20 beneficiaries selected from each institution.

According to NANS, the beneficiaries received equipment, including industrial sewing machines, deep freezers and power generators, which it said would enable them to develop their entrepreneurial skills and establish income-generating ventures.

It further noted that the intervention in the Nigerian Correctional Service helped decongest correctional facilities, reduce the financial burden of keeping inmates in custody, and restore freedom and dignity to thousands of Nigerians.

A copy of the statement obtained by our correspondent reads, “Since your assumption of office on 21 August 2023, we have watched the Ministry of Interior move beyond administrative routine into an era defined by urgency, innovation and results.

“We have observed reforms that addressed longstanding institutional failures and brought critical public services closer to the expectations of Nigerians. A backlog of more than 204,000 passport applications, which had caused frustration and uncertainty for citizens, was cleared within approximately two and a half weeks.

“For the thousands of students seeking international academic opportunities, young professionals pursuing careers abroad, families travelling for legitimate purposes and Nigerians in the diaspora, this was not merely an administrative statistic; it represented restored opportunities, saved time and renewed confidence in government.

“The introduction of contactless passport-renewal services, increased automation of immigration processes and deployment of electronic gates at international airports further demonstrated your determination to replace avoidable bureaucracy with technology-driven public service.”

The students’ body noted that the reforms have “contributed to a more responsive immigration system while strengthening the integrity of Nigeria’s border-management architecture. We have also taken note of your intervention in the Nigerian Correctional Service, through which the fines of more than 4,000 inmates who remained in custody because they could not afford relatively minor financial penalties were settled.

“That intervention decongested correctional facilities, reduced the financial burden of keeping such inmates in custody and, most importantly, restored freedom and dignity to thousands of Nigerians.”