THE vulnerability of African borders to human trafficking and the desire to curb global terrorism have been given as reasons for the introduction of the Machine Readable Travel Documents (MRTDs): Biometrics and Security Standards, otherwise known as the e-passport.

Also, the nation's aviation industry has received a boost, following the completion of the multi-billion naira total radar coverage of the country's airspace. The Lagos end of the project has been installed by Thales, the French firm handling the project that has led to so much controversy, six years after the idea was conceived by a former Minister of Aviation, Mrs. Kema Chikwe.

About 15 air traffic controllers who are expected to man the new radar in Lagos are already in Miami, United States, for seven weeks training on how to man the complex, state-of-the-art system.

Director of Electronics and Engineering Services of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nnamdi Udoh, told The Guardian in Abuja yesterday that "very soon, the project will be commissioned" by the Minister of Aviation, Babatunde Omotoba, who had in February this year assured that the system would be ready.

Minister of Aviation, Babatunde Omotoba, who was represented by the permanent secretary in the ministry, Alhaji Idris Kuta and Interior Minister, Maj.-Gen. Godwin Abbe (rtd), disclosed that the decision of the Federal Government to upgrade the Nigerian passport was in line with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standard in providing a reliable travel document that can assist all nations in meeting with the challenges of modern immigration management.

The duo spoke yesterday at a three-day ICAO's Regional Seminar on MRTDs in Abuja, organised by the government in partnership with the United Nations (UN) Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED).

It was intended to address important issues like the main features and benefits of globally inter-operable and ICAO compliant MRTDs, the integrity and security of issuing identity and travel documents, as well as highlight the importance of biometrics identification, security applications and border inspection system.

Abbe stated that countries all over the world had acknowledged the need for a more secure travel document with a view to curbing trans-border crimes like drug and human trafficking, money laundering, identity theft and other social vices.

He explained that Nigeria's consciousness in this regard guided the Federal Government's decision to introduce the e-passport in 2007, stressing that "it is our hope that this secure system will remain enduring despite anticipated immediate technological changes which are beyond our control and inevitable in our global village."

According to him, Nigeria as a responsible member of the United Nations appreciates the necessity to effectively contribute towards international peace, law and order by ensuring unambiguous identification of her citizens through the introduction of the e-passport, which he said, had proved difficult to forge.

Speaking at the event, which brought together officials from over 35 countries, among them, the United States (U.S.), Brazil, United Kingdom (UK), Germany, Spain, Malaysia, Nepal, Argentina and Switzerland, the Director-General of NCAA, Dr. Harold Demuren, stated that the existing generation of MRTDs with chip-based security features were the most secure travel documents available to states passport/border control officials.