Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, minister of interior, says PresidentBola Tinubu has ended decades of career stagnation in Nigeria’s paramilitaryagencies. Tunji-Ojo spoke in Abuja Thursday at the decoration of newlyappointed deputy comptroller-generals, deputy controller-generals and deputycommandant-generals of the paramilitary agencies under the ministry. The agencies are the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS),Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps(NSCDC), and the Federal Fire Service (FFS). The minister said the promotions were not routine butpresidential appointments anchored on merit and transparency. “Your appointment came as a result of presidential approval.It is not just a promotion but an appointment,” NAN quoted Tunji-Ojo as saying. “None of you is here on courtesy, whether you deserve it ornot. If you are good enough to be DCG, then you are good enough to be CG.” The minister said the promotion exams were conductedindependently and graded by the National Army Resource Centre before beingratified by the civil defence, correctional, fire, and immigration servicesboard (CDCFIB). He said federal character was applied to ensureinclusiveness, noting that seniority and competence were the sole criteria forselection. He praised Tinubu for reforms that have restored dignity tothe services, noting that irregular promotions had deprived many officers ofdeserved elevation. “Many officers retired without attaining positions theymerited, not because they lacked competence but because promotions wereirregular,” he said. “Today, this administration has promoted over 52,000officers in just two years.” He said vacancies for senior positions had in the pastremained open for up to a year, stating that the Tinubu administration hadconsistently filled them. According to him, more than 80 percent of those decorated asDCGs were promoted to assistant comptroller-generals (ACGs) under the currentgovernment. The minister listed welfare measures, including improvedsalaries, peculiar allowances, elimination of stagnation, and life pensions forretired DCGs and CGs. “This government has shown more support than any other inthe history of the country,” he said. “It believes that to whom much is given, much is expected.” ‘SHOW LOYALTY TONIGERIA’Tunji-Ojo urged the newly promoted officers to show loyalty,discipline and innovation in their duties. He tasked the NIS to strengthening border governance, urgedthe NCoS to transform prisons into correctional centres, charged the FFS toposition itself as first responders, and asked the NSCDC to safeguard criticalnational assets. “The time to rise to your responsibility is not tomorrow. Itbegan yesterday,” he said. “Let us be catalysts of change and show that the governmentdid not make a mistake in entrusting us with these mandates.” He recalled that during the last exams, a female officermissed promotion by 0.25 marks, stressing that the rigour underscored thefairness of the process. The minister said he was pleased that the female officer wasamong those decorated this time. “The higher you go, the more disciplined you need to be,”Tunji-Ojo told the officers. “You are now role models. Let your actions speak louder thanwords. Leave legacies for those coming behind you.” The minister promised that the ministry would continue to innovateand adopt global best practices. He cited ongoing reforms, including the passport revolution,centralised processing in immigration, improved facilities at the Fire Academy,upgraded health standards at the Kuje correctional centre, and NSCDC’s role incritical asset protection. “Show loyalty to Nigeria above anything else. Let the loveof this country extinguish any flame of disloyalty. Be mentors, be role models,be catalysts of change,” he said. The newly appointed senior officers pledged to dischargetheir duties with integrity and diligence.
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