The Federal Government has approved the appointment of 15 new Deputy Comptrollers General, Deputy Controllers General and Deputy Commandants General DCGs for the four paramilitary services under the Ministry of Interior.
The agencies are the Nigeria Immigration Service NIS which has the highest, seven; the Nigeria Correctional Service NCoS with four; the Federal Fire Service which has one; and, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps NSCDC with three.
Decorating the senior officers at the Muhammad Babandede Hall of the Nigeria Immigration Service NIS headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday, Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo said the era of nepotism was over.
Lamenting how some officers had for years stagnated on one rank due to no fault of theirs, the minister said under the President Bola Tinubu administration, personnel of the service do not need to know anyone for them to be promoted.
He said; “My charge to you is that the paramilitary agencies should never remain the same. As a matter of fact, we are hungry for innovations.
“Yesterday, a lawyer wrote me threatening to go to court for the promotion of some people. And I asked, on what basis? Seniority qualifies you for promotion, performance ensures that you are promoted.
“The era of nepotism is gone and I will repeat what the president always says that, at any point in time, we can only say we have a country to be proud of when the son of a nobody can become somebody without the influence of anybody. I do not need to know you, but I want to feel the impact of your work.
“For 2024 promotions, we are almost done. Unfailingly, before the end of September, promotions will be effected. Never again will you be denied your promotion on the altar of where you come from or others. For those writing petitions, when they need more papers, we will supply. Let them write more. Everybody decorated here today deserved it.
“For you aspiring to higher offices, if you are hardworking and you know your job, please, you don’t need any godfather. A lot of people who are decorated today, they should have been decorated about four to five years back but they had no voices. This is why the Renewed Hope is here for all.
“To our DCGs, please be efficient and innovative. Think out of the box. All we need is that thing called extra. That is the difference between ordinary and extraordinary. Give us an efficient security system that all Nigerians will be proud of”.
Earlier, Secretary of the Civil Defence Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board CDCFIB, Ahmed Ja’afaru saos the current administration has ensured that annual promotions are concluded within the year of promotions unlike in the past when some promotions were carried over to another year.
He disclosed that the board is now independent and no longer subordinated to the Office of the Head of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation OHCSF.
“Now, the board is independent and promotions will be concluded each year”, he stated.
Seventy Nine persons had participated in the promotion exercise but 15 were picked for the four services.
Among those promoted in the Immigration Service were DCGIs E. Anietum, Ada James Umanah, MC Dike, George Chamlong Didel, Umar Muhammed Tukur, Afolayan Ayeni and Baffa Usman Nagado.
Some of those at the event were the Comptroller General of Immigration Service, Kemi Nandap: Commandant General of the NSCDC, Dr Ahmed Audi; Controller General of Fire, Engr. Abdulganiyu Jaji and that of the Nigeria Correctional Service NCoS, Haliru Nababa among a host of other dignitaries.
