The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has disclosed that President Bola Tinubu has cleared promotion backlogs across agencies under the ministry and approved lifetime salaries for retired Comptrollers-General and Deputy Comptrollers-General of Immigration.
Tunji-Ojo made this known on Friday during the closing ceremony of the Specialised Border Control and Immigration Management System Training at the Immigration Headquarters in Abuja, according to the News Agency of Nigeria.
He praised Tinubu for resolving the long-standing promotion delays, revealing that at least 50,000 personnel had been promoted to new ranks and positions within three years.
“It has never happened before, but Tinubu did it. He also increased the volume of recruitment, where we now have no fewer than 40,000 new recruits at once.”
The minister also acknowledged the President’s efforts to improve workers’ earnings through salary increases and additional allowances.
“When it comes to salary increment, Mr. President has done it. In terms of hazard allowances, peculiar allowance, he also did,” he said.
Tunji-Ojo further commended Tinubu for prioritising the welfare of serving and retired personnel, particularly through improved pension benefits for retired Comptrollers-General of Immigration.
“Previously, CGs had a pension of about N130,000; it was not encouraging. But what did the president do? He signed and approved salary for life for CGs and DCGs.”
He described Tinubu as the President who had shown the greatest commitment to the welfare of security and interior service personnel in Nigeria’s history.
“This president has cared for the services more than any president in the history of Nigeria. He has given you his all.”
The minister urged personnel to reciprocate the President’s support by carrying out their duties diligently and ensuring Nigerians received quality service.
“And all he asks from us in the service is to do our jobs well and make Nigerians happy. Everything we have asked of him, he has done. This is the least we can do.”
Tunji-Ojo also characterised Tinubu as a forward-thinking leader whose policies were designed to deliver sustainable benefits beyond his administration.
He explained that through the Renewed Hope Agenda, the President was establishing institutions and systems capable of remaining effective long after his tenure.
“President Bola Tinubu has never been about the immediate, but the future. He understands that the most prosperous nations do not boil, cook, and eat their seeds; they plant them.
“What this president is doing is planting the seed so that the future will be abundant,” he said.
The minister added that Tinubu recognised that his time in office would eventually end, while the institutions being developed would endure. He stressed that the lasting legacy of the administration would be measured by what it leaves for future generations.