Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Times News
Published on 2024-04-19 08:12:57
Homeland Security Minister Ken Zikhale Ng’oma recently revealed that the new passport printing machines acquired from the new supplier E-Tech Systems are causing delays in the passport issuance process. The government had engaged a new local supplier in an effort to resolve issues related to passport issuance after the issuance of passports was halted some months ago. Ng’oma explained that the four machines are only able to print a maximum of 500 passports per day, but he assured the public that things would soon return to normal.
During a visit to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services headquarters in Blantyre, Ng’oma mentioned that they are facing challenges with the temporary printers and are in the process of sourcing from the main supplier. Once this is completed, he expects services to return to their usual efficiency. The decision to engage a new local supplier was made after parting ways with Techno Brain Limited. Ng’oma emphasized that they are working on a permanent solution by advertising tenders to secure a permanent supplier.
Currently, there is a backlog of 35,000 passports waiting to be printed. Ng’oma expressed hope that they would be able to clear this backlog, suggesting the possibility of staff working at night to expedite the process. He also mentioned that there are over 250,000 passport booklets available, which were left by Techno Brain, and these can sustain them for a year. Ng’oma reassured the people of Blantyre and other areas that passport issuance will resume smoothly.
During his surprise visit to the department, Ng’oma discovered some officers outside the office and questioned them about their absence from their workstations. He later held a closed-door meeting with senior officials to address the issues at hand.
In the previous month, the Immigration Department announced the resumption of passport printing after their system was hacked. They initially resumed services in Lilongwe before planning to extend them to other regions. However, Malawians have been facing difficulties in obtaining their passports as services are yet to fully resume. In Blantyre, the department is currently only printing travel documents for countries like Zambia, Tanzania, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe.
Despite the challenges faced with the new passport printing machines, Ng’oma remains optimistic about resolving the issues and returning to normalcy in the passport issuance process. The government is working diligently to address the backlog and ensure that all citizens receive their passports in a timely manner. With the ongoing efforts to secure a permanent supplier, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services is committed to improving their services for the benefit of the Malawian people.
Read the original article on The Times
