Abuja, Nigeria – The Embassy of Liberia in Abuja has opened a Passport Application Center (PAC) for Liberians resident in Nigeria and the Republics of Benin and Equatorial Guinea to which the Embassy is accredited.
A release from the Liberian mission in Abuja says Professor Al-Hassan Conteh, the Liberian Ambassador to Nigeria, dedicated the center on behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Liberia, Ambassador Marjon V. Kamara.
The dedication ceremony took place at the Embassy on Thursday, August 24, 2017 where scores of Liberians from different Nigerian states attended the event.
In his remarks, Ambassador Conteh told Liberians that the Embassy looks forward to working with the Liberian Community in Nigeria to better their lives in Nigeria: “I encourage all Liberian community leaders to register their members with the Embassy and ensure that they have valid passports at all times to facilitate their residencies in Nigeria.
The Mission also provides Consular ID cards which they should acquire as additional identification documents.”
The Liberian Envoy said Foreign Minister Kamara hopes that the new PAC in Nigeria would better the difficulties faced by Liberian citizens in processing and renewing their passports.
“She has also asked me to encourage you to invest in your skills while in Nigeria, so that you can one day transfer them to Liberia.
She encourages you to seek partnerships with Nigerian businesses for investment in Liberia”, he added.
The Abuja Mission’s PAC is the second in Africa, after the one at the Liberian Embassy in Accra, Ghana.
Other PAC’s are located at the Liberian Embassies in Washington, DC, London, Brussels and Beijing respectively.
Another PAC is at the Consulate General of Liberia in New York, bringing the total number of PAC’s run by the Liberian Government to seven.
The process for the renewal of passports is explained at the Government of Liberia’s Passport website.
The site has features that include online processing and renewal of passports, tracking of revenue, and improved service delivery and consular services.
According to the website, applicants are required to submit their demographic information, and upon completion, to provide payment by valid credit cards.
The site then allows applicants to book an appointment at the PAC suiting their respective locations.
During the program, Mrs. Beatrice N. Sherman, the Counselor/Consul, used a PowerPoint presentation to explain to Liberians the procedures of obtaining a Liberian Biometric passport.
Prior to the dedication of the center, a representative of Buck Press had installed the passport processing equipment and conducted training for four diplomatic staff of the Abuja Mission.
Buck Press is a Ghanaian company that sets up the PAC’s on behalf of the Liberian Government.
The Embassy’s diplomatic staff had previously undertaken training on citizenship and interview methods in April, 2016.
Also on hand during the program was Justice Micah Wilkins Wright, Second Vice President of the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice who helped in responding to questions from Liberians about citizenship.