The federal government has signed new performance bonds with the heads of key paramilitary agencies under the Ministry of Interior, tasking them to aim for nothing short of 100 percent efficiency in service delivery.
Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, yesterday led the signing ceremony with the Comptroller-general of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche; Comptroller-general of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi; Comptroller -general of the Federal Fire Service (FFS), Olumode Samuel Adeyemi and the director-general/chief executive officer of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Bisoye Coker-Odusote.
The event marked the close of the mid-tenure 2025 sectoral performance retreat of the ministry and its agencies, held at Zuma Rock Resort, Suleja, Niger State.
The retreat was themed: “From Plans to Results: Strengthening Institutional Performance in the Ministry of Interior.”
The performance contracts, which form the backbone of the ministry’s accountability framework, are expected to drive measurable results and ensure that all agencies under the ministry operate with renewed focus and commitment in 2025.
Dr. Tunji-Ojo reminded the participants that while the ministry had improved its performance rating from 62 per cent to 85 per cent in just one year, the goal must now be 100 per cent
He said, “Can we see the difference in the Ministry of Interior and the agencies in the last one year? Yes. When we did the last retreat, we were 62 per cent. We moved to 85 per cent. And what we want to do is to cascade such that what you see in the ministry in terms of excellence is what you will see in Civil Defence, Immigration Service, Correctional Service, and Fire Service.”
He stressed that his vision was not to build a personality-driven system but sustainable institutions that deliver value consistently, with or without his leadership.
“Honestly speaking, it is not my dream to build a Ministry of Interior that will only do well under my leadership. My dream is to build a Ministry, to the glory of God, that will do well even without me. That is what we call an institution. We don’t want a ministry built around a strong person.”
Dr. Tunji-Ojo further urged the agencies to become “agents of perfection” whose work leaves a tangible impact on Nigerians.” Let Nigerians feel our impact. Let’s continue to make people smile
Turning his attention to the NSCDC, the Minister praised the agency’s efforts in safeguarding critical national assets but charged it to become a fully elite security force.
He said, “Can you do better? Yes. Please charge your team. I believe that you can create a niche for yourself and be an elite Security Agency for this country. So Civil Defence, well done. Bravo. But that contract that you have signed, deliver on it.”
In the same vein, Dr. Tunji-Ojo expressed satisfaction with ongoing reforms within the Nigeria Correctional Service, saying the transformation from punitive incarceration to true correctional services was becoming evident.
“Correctional Service is becoming transformational, it’s becoming rehabilitatory, and, of course, it’s becoming reformatory, and that’s what I want to see. I don’t want our correctional centers to be places of condemnation. You’re the chief correctional officer of the country, and from where you picked up to where you are within this short time, you’ve done a lot.”
He, however, reminded the NCoS CG to remain focused: “When you need to concentrate the most is when you are doing well.”
***Directs FFS to Modernise, Lead Emergency Medical Services
In a decisive move, the Minister also tasked the Federal Fire Service with assuming leadership in Nigeria’s emergency medical response framework, designating it as the national custodian of Emergency Medical Services (EMS).
He pointed out that certain legal constraints, especially under the previous leadership, were being addressed and promised that legislative reforms were underway.
“We’re working on the law with the National Assembly, and I know by the time the law is passed and assented to by Mr. President, responsibilities will be on your shoulders. Please do not disappoint me. Do not disappoint the President. Let’s build a Nigeria that our children will be proud to call home.”
Highlighting the importance of digitisation and innovation, Dr. Tunji-Ojo urged the Fire Service to embrace modern tools and global best practices.
“You must evolve into a driver of national development and a major employer of labour. Your performance must be measured not only by your reach, but by the lives and assets you are able to save.”
The 2025 performance retreat also featured knowledge-sharing sessions on Enterprise Content Management Systems (ECMS) and Digitisation Innovation Service-Wise GPT, to equip agencies with cutting-edge strategies for effective institutional reform and service delivery.
