Taylor94:
Hyping don dey enter this on head



Na so he said passport won’t pass two weeks to be ready



Later change mouth say no be wetin he talk


Show us where he said 'nobhe wetin he talk'. We wait


Thieves

He also said that the ministry of interior needs to work with other agencies to decongest correctional centres.

Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji Ojo, has said, concerning the issue of prison decongestion, that the ministry of Interior is going to pay the fines of over 4,000 inmates- which altogether come to the tune of over five hundred million naira- to ensure their release as they have been in correctional facilities due to their inability to pay fines.

He also said that he has set up an inter-agency committee to ensure that Nigeria’s borders are properly mapped out and adequately protected to ensure the security of the nation.

In an interview with ARISE NEWS on Thursday, the minister discussed the problem of the congestion of correctional centres with ARISE NEWS anchors, where he revealed that he has already set up committees to figure out the reasons for the congestion in Nigeria’s correctional centres and how to reduce the numbers.

Tunji-Ojo said, “Immediately I assumed office, the first thing I did was to set up a small committee to be able to review the situation of our correctional centres, vis-à-vis the inmates as they are, and we discovered that over 4,000 of these inmates, as I’ve said before, are still in custody due to inability to pay fines. We looked at how much they owe, total fine is about total of five hundred and something million, and I can tell you we’ve gone very far dealing with the private sector in terms of CSR and etcetera, putting this money together.

“And I’m sure that in the next three weeks or one month, four weeks maximum, because I like to be held responsible for what I say, so let me say in the next four weeks, even though we are looking at doing it before then, but I’m giving myself a buffer. So, in the next four weeks, by the grace of God, we will have been able to pay those fines of over 4,000 people which will reduce us from the present almost 79,000 inmates to about 75,000 inmates.”

The minister went on to explain that the work of decongesting prisons wasn’t solely the work of the Ministry of Interior, but other agencies as well, saying, “We must also understand that when it comes to decongestion of prison, it’s not an entirely ministry of interior thing. Yes, ministry of interior must play the lead, but obviously we know the office of the Attorney General, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, we have spoken about it, and we are going to work very well together because you cannot just open your gate and say people should go. We must look at setting up that sort of inter-ministerial relationship, which we are already working on to be able to expedite cases based on Administration of Criminal Justice System, ACJS. So, we are already looking in that particular direction.”

He went on to say, “Also, to further decongest, one thing that is within our purview as ministry of interior is to be able to activate what makes our correctional centres correctional centres, which is the non-custodial responsibility of the correctional service. And what is that? It’s obviously to decongest our correctional centres. For instance, I will give you an example, The situation of the correctional service is very worrisome, for instance, in the Lagos command, of all the correctional centres, in total, the correctional centres were built for like 4,800 if I get my statistics right, but today, we have over 9,000 inmates, so that’s over a 100% in Lagos alone. So, it means that we have to look at the short-term solution, activate that part of the law that gives the Nigerian correctional service the powers to engage in non-custodial services. So, those are parts of the things that we are already doing, and yes, a committee is already in place.”

The minister then said that once all these plans are executed, the ministry will be able to reduce the congestion in correctional centres by around 60%-70%.

Tunji-Ojo then mentioned that beyond decongesting the prisons, the ministry of Interior had a major task of securing Nigeria’s borders, saying to this effect, “If you can’t protect your borders, you can’t protect your country.”

Sharing his process on how he will secure the borders of the country, he said, “I have been able to set up a committee now, an inter-agency committee, because it’s not what an agency can do. For instance, I will give you an example, NIMC is very key, and that’s why I’m so grateful to this particular government for bringing NIMC back to interior because I cannot defend who I don’t know. NIMC is the custodian of our identity, NIMC tells me who you are, so, that’s the foundation of our security. It’s the foundation of our internal security.

“So, NIMC’s role in terms of our peaceful coexistence cannot be overestimated. Having said that, what we have been able to do, I called a meeting last week, and I have inaugurated a committee headed by the Director, joint services, in the ministry of Interior, we have the Nigeria Immigration Service, we have the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, we have the boundary Commission because we need to define our boundaries, you cannot go an defend another man’s land, and your border is where your right stops. So, we brought boundary commission because there are so many issues.”

He further explained, saying, “By the time the committee comes up, we will look at how to use both human intelligence and of course, technology, to be able to, it has to be a cocktail of solutions. One solution cannot secure our border. It has to be a cocktail of approach, both the human intelligence, both the technological issues, and of course, the getting loyalty from these border communities, because if your border communities are not with you, the simple truth is that terrorists will come, hide in those communities, attack, and through their safe passage, they go.

“So we have to look at how to secure all our loopholes, it has to be a wholistic thing. We must now make sure that the solutions we are throwing to problems are not just fire brigade solutions. Let us have a solution that will stand the test of time so that it becomes Nigeria border control policy, it becomes our roadmap, it becomes our route, something we work with. Even if tomorrow, Dr. Tunji-Ojo is no longer minister of interior, we have a framework that will be able to sustain the security of our system.”

The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has set up a 13-man committee to conduct a needs assessment on the nation’s borders.

The members of the committee are drawn from the ministry, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Federal Fire Service, Border Community Development Agency, Community Boundary Commission, and a consultant.

The committee named, “Integrated Border Governance Committee,” was advised by the minister to develop a plan to adequately secure Nigeria’s borders.

The committee was given 18 weeks to deliver on its mandates.


A statement on Saturday by the ministry’s Director of Press, Afonja Ajibola, said the minister set up the committee during a presentation on border management and control by a consultant in his office.

It partly read, “Tunji-Ojo instructed that the committee should endeavour to have a robust deliberation and create a border management plan that is implementable to secure the country.

“The minister said what is of importance to him about border management is the aspect of internal security which he said is a massive task which requires the synergy of all critical stakeholders.”

APOPTOSIS:
They better change the Lashes to Tappings if they don't want Israel to face their direction...

This afternoon, I was at the Federal Fire Service headquarters for the commissioning of fire engines and rapid intervention vehicles. As we continue to implement the #RenewedHope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR), the Federal Fire Service will rise to its responsibility of preventing fire disasters, fire fighting and even creating thousands of jobs for economic prosperity.

The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has said Nigerians will have their passport delivered to their homes, offices, and other locations of their choice from February 2024.

Speaking on Monday at the opening ceremony of the International Week of the University Of Lagos, titled, ‘Breaking the Borders of Partnership,’ Tunji-Ojo said that by January next year, Nigerians would be able to complete the application process online.

He said, “We have commenced the automation of our end-to-end passport application process, and we have given a timeline from which Nigerians will begin to experience the “sweet experience.”

“By implication, Nigerians will not need to wait longer than two weeks before they get their passport. By January next year, Nigerians will be able to complete this application process online, and by February next year, with collaboration and partnership with other relevant stakeholders, Nigerians will have their passports delivered to their homes, offices, and other locations of their choice.


This, of course, would be extended to our visa application process. We are deploying technology throughout the entire process to make it as seamless as possible. To achieve this, we have set everything into motion to open 12 more visa application centres across the world. In this regard, we are also working on strengthening our visa-on-arrival policy. We are working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to enforce the principle of reciprocity, and a committee has been set up in the ministry to achieve this.”

He lamented that there was a duplication of registration of identity numbers country including the BVN in the bank, the international passport, the NIN, and SIM card registration by telecos.

Tunji-Ojo revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had given the directive for the harmonisation of the various identity numbers in the country

He added that the integrity of travel documents would be restored through the harmonisation of data.

“Identity is who we are, what we are, and what we live for. But today, what we have is a duplication of our registration. We have the BVN in the bank, the international passport, the NIN, SIM card registration by telecos, and so on, all of which request your data. The integrity of our travel documents must be restored through the harmonisation of our data.

“We have the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, under the Renewed Hope Agenda, to harmonise the country’s database. When we harmonise our data, there will be an exchange amongst agencies such that when our people need data for passport and visa applications, or BVN, with their NIN, their data can be pulled out. This will not only save us stress, cost, and energy but also help us optimise our processes and the country’s security architecture.”

TheArrowhead:


I just checked my profile, still in production oo

The best minister currently is the Minsiter of interior, the man is good, cleared the passport backlog in record time. You are one of the bright spots of this administration Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo

ONEjoblessGUY:
Thought foolish NIS boss said.........the passport backlog had been cleared within 2weeks........

So what do u mean by extended to 3 weeks again

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said that for the next six months, an average low-grade worker shall receive an additional N25,000 per month.
The president said this in his nationwide broadcast as part of the programme of events marking Nigeria’s 63rd Independence anniversary celebration.

“Based on our talks with labour, business and other stakeholders, we are introducing a provisional wage increment to enhance the federal minimum wage without causing undue inflation. For the next six months, the average low-grade worker shall receive an additional N25,000 per month,” he announced, while outlining measures being taken to relieve the stress on families and households after the removal of fuel subsidy and unification of exchange rates.

President Tinubu said his government was doing all it could to ease the load, stating, “We have embarked on several public sector reforms to stabilise the economy, direct fiscal and monetary policy to fight inflation, encourage production, ensure the security of lives and property and lend more support to the poor and the vulnerable.”

The president said THAT commencing this month, the social safety net was being extended through the expansion of cash transfer programmes to an additional 15 million vulnerable households.

He added that the government had set up an Infrastructure Support Fund for states to invest in critical areas to ensure better grassroots development, stressing, “States have already received funds to provide relief packages against the impact of rising food and other prices.”

President Tinubu said the government had also opened a new chapter in public transportation through the deployment of cheaper, safer Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses across the country, adding that “These buses will operate at a fraction of current fuel prices, positively affecting transport fares.

New CNG conversion kits will start coming in very soon as all hands are on deck to fast track the usually lengthy procurement process. We are also setting up training facilities and workshops across the country to train and provide new opportunities for transport operators and entrepreneurs. This is a groundbreaking moment where, as a country, we embrace more efficient means to power our economy. In making this change, we also make history.”

The president said his administration was providing investment funding for enterprises with great potential to boost employment and urban incomes.

He added that the government was equally “increasing investment in micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.”

President Tinubu, who restated the reasons behind the ongoing reforms in the country, appealed for more understanding from citizens.

He said, “I said bold reforms were necessary to place our nation on the path of prosperity and growth. On that occasion, I announced the end of the fuel subsidy.

“I am attuned to the hardships that have come. I have a heart that feels and eyes that see. I wish to explain to you why we must endure this trying moment. Those who sought to perpetuate the fuel subsidy and broken foreign exchange policies are people who would build their family mansion in the middle of a swamp. I am different. I am not a man to erect our national home on a foundation of mud. To endure, our home must be constructed on safe and pleasant ground.

Reforms may be painful, but it is what greatness and the future require. We now carry the cost of reaching a future Nigeria where the abundance and fruits of the nation are fairly shared among all, not hoarded by a select and greedy few; a Nigeria where hunger, poverty and hardship are pushed into the shadows of an ever fading past.

“There is no joy in seeing the people of this nation shoulder burdens that should have been shed years ago. I wish today’s difficulties did not exist. But we must endure if we are to reach the good side of our future.”

On his pledge of a thorough housecleaning of the den of malfeasance the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had become, President Tinubu said, “That housecleaning is well underway. A new leadership for the Central Bank has been constituted.”

He added that his special investigator would soon present his findings on past lapses and how to prevent similar reoccurrences, stressing, “Henceforth, monetary policy shall be for the benefit of all and not the exclusive province of the powerful and wealthy.”

The president, who said his administration shall always accord the highest priority to the safety of the people, stated that inter-service collaboration and intelligence sharing had been enhanced.

He said service chiefs had been tasked with the vital responsibility of rebuilding the capacities of our security services.

Tinubu also commended security forces for their gallantry.

The president congratulated the National Assembly for its role in the quick take-off of his administration through the performance of its constitutional duties of confirmation and oversight and the judiciary as a pillar of democracy and fairness.

He also thanked members of civil society organisations and labour unions for their dedication to Nigeria’s democracy, saying, “We may not always agree, but I value your advice and recommendations. You are my brothers and sisters and you have my due respect.”

SmartPolician:


Forget all this yeye talk. That guy you quoted raised an important concern. I think it makes perfect sense for true experts to be leading teams in their industry.

How about getting a meteorologist, geographer, or environmental/space technologist to lead the team?

Our problem in this part of the world is that we are too emotional. When people become emotional, reasoning becomes totally useless.

Everyone has an area of speciality.

Anyways, congratulations to him.