By Hillary Asemota
The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola on Wednesday charged newly promoted Deputy Controllers General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) to live up to their bills and callings.
He urged to constantly be above board through conscious display of professionalism, integrity, dedication and hard work for the overall betterment of Nigeria.
Speaking at the decoration of the officers at the Ministry’s Headquarters in Abuja, Ogbeni Aregbesola, said the reforms being embarked on in the Ministry are meant to achieve the the mandate and to positively impact the citizens.
He said: “I have no doubt that you (newly promoted DCGs will step up your groove and deliver resounding successes in this direction.
“I will therefore like to congratulate Asogwa Dominic Obetta and Amahian Dora Ejeh of the NIS and Ahmadu Adamu, Marylaurine Emmanuel Melchizedek, Magaji Ahmed Abdullahi, Akinrujomu Tosin Jerome, Tinuoye Olumide Timothy and Usendiah Esu Joseph of the NCoS, on their elevation to a higher calling and the penultimate position in their services.”
Your appointments are coming at a transitional period when great reforms are taking place in the NIS and NCoS, he added.
“I am proud to say that you have been part of the transformation in these services and are even now being placed in position of higher responsibility.
“I have no doubt that you fit the bill and will live up to the billing. You are the best for the job and will do it satisfactorily.
“We are working with the mandate to make citizenship integrity the philosophy of governance.
“This means that we must work with the consciousness of a servant serving the citizens of this country.
“No one we have to deal with in our official capacity should therefore experience any hardship or difficulty, while the full resources of the country should be at the disposal of all Nigerian citizens who may need such in line of our duty.
“This is why guarding our borders effectively, but making entry and exit seamless, is a delicate art we have to perfect.
“Nigerians who need passport and foreigners who need Nigerian visa should obtain them with ease.” The Minister reiterated.
According to him, passport administration has been a particularly challenging task, explaining that NIS is in the news most of the time on passport related matters.
However, he noted the seamless procurement of passports which has been largely attributed to the innovative processes and ICT deployment.
On milestones recorded by the ministry, he said inspite of the challenges faced recently, close to 11.1 million passports were issued between May 2015 and December 2022 which was unprecedent, to underscore the phenomenal success recorded.
This is even as he added that 4.8 million passports were procured between 2007 and 2015.
Ogbeni Aregbesola, said: “We have also reformed the passport application process, making it possible for Nigerians in any place on the face of the earth, in the corner of their room, to apply the Nigerian passport without stress.
“But as I am wont to say, a goalkeeper is not remembered for the saves he makes, but for the goals that he let in.
“This is why the few bad cases, especially involving unscrupulous officers engaged in extortion, inflation and hiding of already produced passports, continue to draw negative flaks to the service.
“I am therefore giving you a special charge to stamp out all forms of corrupt practices in passport administration and make the obtainment of passport by Nigerians a seamless exercise.”
On NCoS’ mandate, he said: “The core of the reform at the NCoS is to humanise the penal system, changing the philosophical orientation from punishment to reformation.
“We believe that depriving a person freedom by confining them to a cell, away from family and friends and the freedom to be themselves on their own terms, within legal limits, is a punishment on its own.
“But their incarceration should give them the opportunity to reflect on the past, the bad choices they made and a change of heart to be better persons and realise the best version of themselves.
“Our role is to keep them safe, nurture them in good health, provide the opportunities they need for this transformation and help them to reintegrate back into the society as good and law abiding citizens.
“They should leave our facilities full of gratitude for the opportunity they get for a new life.”
According to him, officers are therefore required to live above board, avoid any behaviour, especially inappropriate fraternisation with inmates, capable of jeopardising the safety of inmates and staff and the security of our facilities.
I continue to receive good reports of the professionalism and gallantry of our officers across the four services. I am immensely pleased by this this and I hope this will be improved upon, the Minister stressed.
“To the newly minted DCGs, I want you to know that you all have a limited time in office.
“This is the highest level you can get to as professionals. Becoming the CG is political and therefore fortuitous.
“If any of you is fortunate, you will be. However, I want you to do whatever you can dream of or conceive for your service. I want you to be empty even if you are retiring on this rank – no unfulfilled dreams, no unrealised ideas and no regrets whatsoever.
“This is the best opportunity you may ever have.
“I congratulate you once again. I congratulate as well your family, friends, colleagues and well wishers who have come to share with you in the joy of the day.
“I will like to thank President Muhammadu Buhari for his continued support to our Ministry and the agencies.”
“I must thank also all the staff of the Ministry of Interior, beginning with the Permanent Secretary, Dr Shuaibu Belgore, for their unalloyed service and sacrifice.”
The Minister named the Ministry’s Conference Hall Hajia Aishat Rufai, to immoralise the Secretary of the Board who passed on recently.
