Mohammed Babandede is the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS). He recently had an interactive session with journalists, during which he speaks on various issues affecting the service and his plan to take the NIS to the next level. BODE OLAGOKE was there
On how to resolve the problems confronting the NIS staff
I introduced many things to address those problems with members of the staff. We instituted a compulsory one month briefing involving every command. We gave the staff the immunity that allowed them to say anything they want to say without molestation. We have issued circular to the non-cooperating command to allow the staff to unburden their mind because it will reduce the volume of rumours and leaking information to the media about the service. I have tried to reduce tension at both commands and headquarters with that approach.
Welfare
In terms of staff, I have also introduced the idea of not collecting money or what they call returns from the staff that went on field work. I made it clear that I don’t want such money coming from bottom to the top. If the subordinates are not under pressure to bring returns to the seniors, we have solved 50 per cent of the problems. We also share the little money we are getting for the headquarters to fuel their official vehicles. We cannot give people vehicles to patrol the border without fueling them. I have tried my best in the war against corruption in the service. We cannot eliminate it entirely but we have reduced it to an insignificant level.
In terms of staff promotions, I have written to the board that promotions should now be online real time. We want to adopt ICT method of writing promotion examinations. We are computerising the promotion examination. We also use it in determining seniority in the service. We want to reduce the tension that comes with the promotion examination and the bribery for promotion.
I am also tackling the issue of posting which has been a major problem. I have officers that have spent nine years particularly in what they call ‘lucrative posting’.
Justice
There is no justice and fairness in that and they do it because they know people or can bribe their way to remain in such juicy posting, leaving others in a posting considered punishment, like training school.
I have already set up a committee that will submit report next week. The posting policy will be in circular form for cadre officers like Assistant Superintended and Superintended cadres. Anyone who spends two years in Passport office will be redeployed to the border for another two years, then another two years at the visa. All of them must go through the cycle to know them.
No matter the pressure from most big men in the country, the posting regime must be followed religiously.
I have opportunity to go on foreign posting to Germany and I did not even know what it was. I spent five years there but we were not even thinking of Dollars because there was no marginal difference with Naira. But it is a different scenario now. The mind-set of many concerning foreign posting is the exchange rate. It is causing craziness.
When I came on board, I noticed that we have officers that have spent four to eight years on foreign posting that are still begging Ministers, House of Representatives members to influence their continuation.
I took an oath with God that even if heaven falls, I will not accept anybody’s extension. I have told even the governors routing for them to be ready for the change mantra of Mr President. I have told them that Mr President told me to be just and fair. I have told many governors and others pleading on their behalf that nobody will stay and any of them who ask for extension I will open a secret file for him or her. I want to ensure that people stop begging for foreign postings.
Service delivery for passport
I made a promise to Nigerians to deliver certain things within two months especially as it concerns women that want to change their names due to marriage, divorce, widowhood or other reasons will have to do it at their state of origin or residence instead of coming to the Abuja headquarters.
We have also developed a system for the lost case and I have issued directives to do it even manually.
On border management
A lot of business men just want to make money from border but I want to put equipment that are simple, durable that we can use, repair and maintain and they will make easy for monthly patrols. That is the thinking I have and I have started the process thank God I have the time to run it. Wherever they call me to pay for project completion I will go there and see it and I insist on seeing the completion of the projects I have to pay for. This policy started reducing abandoned jobs. I want to leave very good record and you can’t achieve that with corrupt staff. I will build the capacity of our officers and things will work out well. I don’t want to jump into technologies.
On diplomatic passports
When I started I had a lot of reaction I had a lot of friends because I was ACG Passport and then became DCG operations I was receiving lots of calls but I made them to understand that if they are no longer ministers or governments officials they don’t need to hold on to the passports. I wrote a memo to my minister and I got the approval from him to write to state and federal governments to let official and diplomatic passports be part of the things to be returned before retirement, benefits and pension can be paid. I am already sending the circular out. Secondly, we have said don’t cross our border with Diplomatic passport else we will collect it if possible; I will make a photocopy to attest I have seized it.
We are also telling state governments and parastatals that if they come to get a renewal for a governor I will tell them that renewal is subject to the deputy governor who didn’t return his Diplomatic Passport. For civil servants it will be more serious that they have to return it. The next step is that I will go to their houses.
On INTERPOL
There is Interpol database called Interpol i247. Information 24 7 in a week. This information is provided by Interpol and Interpol is a police organization and when we say police organization, they think it is only police. Police means law enforcement. In some countries, the Police do our job. They are called border police; they are called marine police. So, we are police also but we are different police. In Nigeria, police is decided to be cut into different pieces so that they would do specialized jobs. Police handling human trafficking, police handling Immigration, so we are police. Information 247 has provision of data for all wanted persons. So, if you want a person, you raise a red alert or green alert or any other alert depending on what you want to be done on the person. Interpol can just decide to monitor somebody and not arrest him. They would raise the alert with you to know if the person has entered your country.
On recruitment crisis
The recruits came around protesting I told them three important things and I stand by it that the last recruitment was illegal. But it is not their fault they are victims of circumstances. I am committed to finding a solution that is why I invited their representatives for a meeting in our office with the permission of the minister. Why their recruitment was illegal? The reason is very simple. The then President set a committee under the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to assist Immigration, Prisons, Civil defence Board to look at what happened. The term was to assis,t but that committee assisted and recruited by themselves. They went ahead made a memo created a website collected a lot of money and did recruitment without allowing the board to participate legally. It remains illegal but what do you do to Nigerians who are looking for jobs, do you know that the board refused to even talk to the committee only Immigration at that time under Paradang directed them to issue letters to them but, there are no records to that effect, letters were just issued.
When a person who has no authority gives you a document it is illegal. I told them I will help them under the condition that there has to be budget to pay them salaries, you must be qualified and your certificates must be verified since I came on board I am pushing to make sure anybody that has to be recruited must pass drug test. I am not going to take a drug addict if the vacancy is there.
