Be Vigilant, Avoid Actions That Can Undermine Your Effective Performance, Aregbesola Advises Immigration Officers

 AgegePulse Magazine 

Aregbesola 

The Minister for Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has urged officers and men of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to be extra vigilant and abstain from activities that could undermine effective performance of their duty and safety of the country. 

 

Ogbeni Aregbesola spoke on Friday, 5 February, 2021 during the commissioning of the NIS' Office Complex in Kaduna. 

"As you are all aware, national security is a life and death matter for all of us, especially considering that the security challenges we face have a foreign component. It is therefore our bounden duty to ensure that foreigners who are likely to harm us in any way are kept away from our shores and borders. This requires that you be extra vigilant and abstain from attitudes and activities that could undermine effective performance of your duty and the safety of our land," he explained

In a speech titled, 'A Befitting Accommodation for the Service', he stated that the ministry is fast putting behind the days when government Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) rent buildings for office accommodation. 

"This event is a proof of our commitment and the demonstration of government to improving public facilities and emplace good working environment for officers and men. This is because we have placed premium on infrastructure and human capital development," he disclosed.

The Nigeria Immigration Service Management, the Minister noted, made a firm resolve that command office complexes are built in all the 36 state command structure of the Service and the FCT. It is against this background that the Ministry keeps supporting agencies under it, including NIS in its effort to building and refurbishment of office accommodation. 

"From late last year to this year despite some hitches due to the outbreak of COVID-19, the Ministry successfully commissioned the Kwara and Oyo States Command office complexes virtually. 

"Today we are here to commission the Kaduna State Command Complex. It is my belief that this edifice will provide the needed comfort for officers and men of this Command to function effectively. Therefore, I enjoin the personnel serving in Kaduna Command to make good use of this new command office complex' he pointed out.

 He also commended the Service for the gradual deployment of technology in their operations, especially Migration Information and Data Analysis System (MIDAS) in controlling the data of every person entering or leaving Nigeria.

We Are Set To SET A New Security Agenda for Nigeria - Aregbesola

AgegePulse Magazine

Security, Economy and Transparency, SET, is the new narrative that is set to drive the security agenda for the country, and the Ministry of Interior being the first line of action, is expected to lead the charge, so says the new Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.

He made the assertion yesterday, while paying familiarization visits to two of the parastatals under his Ministry, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDS and Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS.

Aregbesola reinstated the sanctity of governance as the guarantee of security and safety of the entire Nigerian people. He expressed his readiness to contribute his own ideas to improve the internal security of the country with collaboration and cooperation of the security agencies in intelligence gathering. He promised to set up a synergy between the agencies in his Ministry, the Police and other security agencies in the country in intelligence sharing, so as to improve on  the security situation in the country.

"As a result of our commitment to a proactive security agenda for the country ,we are going to set up an early warning-alarm system in all the geopolitical zones,  in other to nib in the bud any security breach before it happens".

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Barr. Georgina Ekeoma Ehuriah, MON, said, given the achievements recorded as the Governor in the State of Osun, she had no doubt that the Minister would make remarkable impacts in the Ministry in order to curb insecurity in Nigeria.

In his remarks earlier, the Commandant General of NSCDC, Abdullahi Muhammadu, stated the readiness of his agency to provide the needed intelligence for proactive measures as demanded by the Minister and promised the cooperation of his team.

At NIS, Aregbesola, reinstated his commitment to institute a culture of rewarding excellence and charged the agency not to retrogress from the flagship security agency that it has become.

Taking the Minister round some of the commissioned and ongoing projects at the headquarters, the Comptroller General NIS, Muhammad Babandede, said the agency can easily now register and data-capture all immigrants in the country. He also informed the Minister that passport can now be issued within 48 hours of application.

The familiarization visit by the Minister to other parastatals under his Ministry, continues today.

Protect women against abuse, Ambode urges Govs

...As Ajimobi, Aregbesola, Dickson, others underscore women's role in nation building

Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode on Wednesday acknowledged the resilient nature of women and their strategic role in national development, saying that it was important for concerted efforts to be made to protect them against abuse and anything that can inhibit their progress.

Speaking at the 2017 National Women Summit of Oyo State Officials' Wives Association (OYSOWA) held at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, Governor Ambode said women are endowed with God-given abilities to get stronger no matter the circumstances and equally make positive difference in the lives of others even at their detriment.

The Governor, who attended the event alongside his wife, Mrs Bolanle Ambode, said the least to appreciate women is for efforts to be made to create space for them and fight for their rights.

According to Governor Ambode, "The least we can do to appreciate our women and reciprocate their resilience and sacrifice is to give them all the support they require to achieve their dreams.

"As a Governor, I am strongly committed and determined to create the space for our women and protect them against abuse and everything that will inhibit their progress.

"This is my commitment and I believe, it is the same for my other colleagues, including my brother, Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State whose support for his darling wife has made this event a reality."

While describing the theme of the summit which is “The Resilient Woman: Making a Difference,” as apt, Governor Ambode said it confirmed the hidden strengths of women which keep them going even in the face of most difficult challenges.

He added: "It is this resilience that has made the woman the warmth and bond that keeps the family together.

"This is very graphically expressed in the words of Eleanor Roosevelt who said “a woman is like a tea bag – you cannot tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water”. Our women have shown that they are not only strong but resilient, hardworking, gentle, loving and beautiful.

"Over the years, the indispensability of women in governance has continued to be appreciated and recognized particularly in this part of the world. In Lagos, whenever I have the opportunity I always say this; if you want a job done well, give it to a woman. Women make the difference," Governor Ambode said.

Besides, Governor Ambode admonished women to positively deploy their skill set in any given position for the betterment of the country.

In their lectures, former Vice President of Zimbabwe, Dr Joice Musuru and former First Lady of Liberia, Senator Jewel Howard-Taylor, who were the keynote speakers, said African women must be inspired to do more even when the challenge appears insurmountable and also have the desire to make positive transformation.

They also advised women to be real, create their own stories, never give up and mentor the next generation of women leaders.

In their goodwill messages, Governors Rauf Aregbesola (Osun); Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa) and the host Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo) all underscored the importance of women to nation building, saying any society or organization that position women other than the frontline role is destined for failure.

They also called on women to revive the tradition of productivity and responsibility to the country in their children, saying such would bring about a better society, better nation and better people.