Kuni Tyessi in Abuja
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has for the first time produced a training curriculum and manual for its training institutions, since it was established by an Act of Parliament in 1963, as part of efforts towards tackling the issue of Nigeria’s porous land borders.
Presenting the curriculum yesterday at the NIS headquarters in Abuja, the Minister of Interior, General Abdulrahaman Dambazau (rtd.), said the manual would help the personnel in delivering efficient services for the good of the country as well as to checkmate and solve the daily problems posed by the porous borders in the country.
He said the training manual was important because, without training, there is no way NIS can carry out its expectations, adding that the agency has emerging challenges like security and cross border issues, which need to improve.
‘’This is because as we are producing curriculum to combat security challenges, criminals are also producing their own in order to be a step ahead. Also, officers will now have to attend promotional courses and write promotional exams for every rank, so it is not going to be business as usual. Gone are the days when some officers, new in the, Service get promoted twice a year, while some have spent more than 10 years in the Service without promotion. This leads to laxity on the part of the new officers having things the easy way, while those not being promoted will not put more effort in their jobs because they are not being promoted,†he said.
On his part, the Comptroller-General of the NIS, Muhammad Babandede, said the production of the manual was a landmark achievement because it brought together members of the academia and service personnel.
“This is the first time in the history of Nigeria Immigration Service that we will be developing an all encompassing intellectual curriculum. This is a clear demonstration that the academia cannot only interact with the public service but also with regimentation. I strongly believe that this initiative will produce well trained and better equipped officers and men that will further reposition the NIS to contribute its quota in the change agenda of this administration. Training and manpower development is a strong foundation and pivotal to the life, continued existence, effectiveness and efficiency of an organization, especially one like ours,†he explained.
