‘Don’t throw away our legacy’, Babandede admonishes officers

The outgoing Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Muhammad Babandede, has called on officers and men of the service to build on the achievements and progress made during his five-year, four month tenure, and not allow the legacy to decay.

In a passionate and moving valedictory message to officers at the NIS Headquarters, in Abuja, Babandede reminded them of the importance of sustaining and building on past successes for NIS to be a globally recognised agency of worth.

He said: “Yes, immigration has improved and achieve a lot, but we have all achieved all these together, because each step and decision taken for these achievements were done with the input and suggestions of all.

“Therefore, I can confidently say that I am proud to be leaving the NIS today better than I met it, and I am urging all of you that I am leaving behind to continue the good work from where we stopped.

“I am going, but don’t throw away the work that we have done. Continue to build on it and on my part, I will continue to be NIS ambassador, because I don’t have any institution greater than this.”

While appreciating President Muhammadu Buhari for providing him the opportunity to serve Nigeria in the capacity of Comptroller General of Immigration, he asked for forgiveness from any officer(s) he might have offended during his service and equally forgave those that wronged him.

Speaking earlier, the Deputy Comptroller General (DCG), in charge of Finance and Accounts, Isah Jere, who is also going to be the acting CG, before a new CG is appointed, described progress made during Babandede’s tenure as unprecedented.

Also, DCG in charge of Human Resources Management, Aminu Bako, said Babandede’s tenure would remain a watershed in the NIS history because his work will continue to remain in the sands of time.