Minister of Interior Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo disclosed that President Bola Tinubu has approved lifetime financial benefits for retiring immigration chiefs including Comptrollers-General and Deputy Comptrollers-Generals, alongside successfully clearing the backlog of promotions across services within the ministry.
Speaking on Friday in Abuja at the closing ceremony of the Specialized Border Control and Immigration Management System (BCIMS) Training held at the Immigration Headquarters, Tunji-Ojo made the remarks.
He commended the President for eliminating promotion backlogs, highlighting that over 50,000 personnel have received advancements and new postings within a three-year span.
“It has never happened before, but Tinubu did it. He also increased the volume of recruitment, where we now have no fewer that 40,000 new recruits at once.
“When it comes to salary increment, Mr President has done it. In terms of hazard allowances, peculiar allowance, he also did,” he said.
Additionally, Tunji-Ojo commended the President for his dedication to the well-being of both active and retired employees, emphasizing the rise in pensions 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.
“This president has cared for the services more than any president in the history of Nigeria. He has given you his all.
“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 the least we can do,” he added.
Backstory…
Meanwhile, this win for retired immigration chiefs comes just few days after armed forces veterans blocked the entrance to the Military Pensions Board headquarters in Kubwa, Abuja, over concerns regarding the computation and adjustment of their pensions.
Demonstrators erected canopies and chairs across the complex gates at 8:00 a.m. to protest alleged discrepancies in the implementation of pension increments approved by President Bola Tinubu. Armed military personnel deployed to the facility intercepted the crowd and restricted access to the premises.
The demonstration follows a September protest by military retirees at the Ministry of Defence, where veterans demanded pension reviews aligned with recent salary increases implemented for active-duty service members.
