Confessions: Immigration Officers were well paid, have no reason to be corrupt —Abuja Comptroller

The Comptroller of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Federal Capital Territory Command, Tijjani Ahmed, has said the personnel of the service are well paid and therefore, cannot use “low pay scale” as an excuse to indulge in corrupt practices.

 

This was as he warned that officers with corrupt tendencies should have a rethink because the Service is holding itself and its officers to a high standard.

 

Ahmed stated this on Thursday in Abuja during the grand finale of the Service Compact with All Nigerians/Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit sensitisation and enlightenment workshop themed: “Zero tolerance approach to corruption: A pathway to quality delivery and attitudinal change.”

 

He said: “This is a joint effort of SERVICOM and ACTU. The training began in our plateau state command on Jos. And from there, it is spreading to all other command centres across the country.

 

“The idea is to sensitise officers and men of the service on vices such as corruption, especially for officers who think they can always play with their job. The idea is to make them understand that they are all duty-bound to whatever they are doing. You have a responsibility to be committed to the organisation that pays you a salary.

 

“So, officers should learn to turn away from these corrupt practices. It is corruption that has held this country back for a long time. And we cannot just fold our hands to be intimidated. We must be up and doing to squash these vices.”

 

Asked if corruption tendencies can be linked to the low remuneration of personnel, the Comptroller said, “Immigration officers are well paid and therefore should not indulge in corrupt practices.

 

“We hope that corrupt officers among us will have a change of mind. Our anti-corruption programmes have been on for some time now and we have seen improvements.

 

“Look at the way we conduct our passport services. We have reduced contact between officers and the users of our services. That has reduced the tendency for corruption.

 

Speaking earlier, the FCT Minister charged the NIS personnel present to subscribe to continuous upgrade of their skillsets to offer cutting edge services.

 

He said, “As frontline service providers of the nation, NIS personnel must continue to learn and submit themselves to training to be at the cutting edge of their duties and responsibilities.

 

“I encourage the officers and men of the service to maximise the gains of the sensitization programme meant to be a campaign and paradigm shift, to be the best of themselves for the good of the country, their personal fulfilment and posterity.”

 

He, therefore, urged all officials of the NIS to embrace fully and implement government policies, guided by the principles of transparency and efficient service delivery as being exemplified by the workshop.

 

In his address, the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Muhammed Babandede, said that the service is committed to pursuing the principles of SERVICOM to help position it as a transparent body.

Babandede who was represented by his Deputy Comptroller General, Anthonia Okpara, said, “The NIS is committed to the principles of SERVICOM as it continues to reposition itself for greater and optimal service delivery to the public.”