NANS Hails Tunji-Ojo’s Youth Empowerment, Passport Reforms

The National Association of Nigerian Students, South-West Zone D, has commended the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, over reforms in the immigration system, youth empowerment and correctional services since he assumed office in August 2023.

The students’ body gave the assessment in a statement issued on Sunday and signed by its coordinator, Josiah Adeyemo. NANS said its position was based on its monitoring of activities under the Ministry of Interior across the South-West states.

According to the association, the ministry has recorded changes in areas that directly affect students and other Nigerians, particularly passport services, immigration processes, youth development and the management of correctional facilities.

NANS said one of the major developments was the clearance of more than 204,000 pending passport applications within about two and a half weeks. The association said the move was important for students and other Nigerians who require passports for education, employment, travel and other legitimate purposes.

The student body also pointed to the introduction of contactless passport renewal as part of the changes in the immigration system. It said greater use of technology and the deployment of electronic gates at international airports had helped reduce some of the delays and manual processes associated with immigration services.

The association also praised Tunji-Ojo’s involvement in youth empowerment programmes, particularly the Students to CEO 2.0 entrepreneurship initiative organised by the NANS Joint Campus Committee in Ondo State.

Under the programme, 200 students from 10 tertiary institutions received business equipment to support different areas of entrepreneurship. The items included industrial sewing machines, deep freezers and power generators, with each participating institution providing 20 beneficiaries.

NANS said the support could help students develop practical skills and create sources of income while still in school. The programme was designed to encourage young people to combine their academic studies with entrepreneurship and other income-generating activities.

The students’ body also referred to interventions in the Nigerian Correctional Service. It said fines for more than 4,000 inmates who remained in custody because they could not afford relatively small financial penalties were settled.

According to NANS, the intervention helped reduce overcrowding in correctional facilities and allowed affected inmates to regain their freedom. The association also said the move reduced the cost of keeping such inmates in custody.

The group said it had been monitoring the Ministry of Interior since Tunji-Ojo became minister on August 21, 2023, and had observed what it described as reforms in immigration, correctional services and youth development.

NANS, which said it represents students across Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti states, called attention to the effect of efficient government services on young Nigerians. It said students seeking opportunities outside the country depend on effective passport and immigration systems to pursue education and other legitimate opportunities.

The association’s assessment comes after the minister’s recent support for the empowerment of students in Ondo State, where beneficiaries received equipment for ventures including fashion, technology and other small businesses.

NANS said it expects the government to sustain efforts aimed at improving public services and expanding opportunities for young Nigerians through practical empowerment programmes and institutional reforms.