*Decorates spokesman, 52 others

Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, (NSCDC), associate Professor Ahmed Audi, has cautioned newly promoted and decorated officers of the agency into the senior cadre of Commandants and Assistant and Commandants Generals, to desist from unnecessary lobbying for postings to perceive lucrative commands.

Audi gave the advice at the decoration ceremony of newly promoted senior officers of the Corps, consisting of eight Assistant Commandant Generals, (ACGs), and forty-five Commandants, yesterday in Abuja.

According to him, “Postings are one thing that usually accompanies promotion and some officers lobby to be posted to specific places. It is not good for you to lobby for posting if you have faith in God and yourself alongside your track record and dedication, God will post you automatically.

“Sometimes, you may be eying a position and lobby to get that position not knowing that the position could spell doom for you,” he said.

He said that officers must work hard to justify their new ranks and distinguish themselves in their assigned places of primary assignment instead of lobbying to be posted to suppose lucrative commands as this could sometimes get personnel in trouble that could cost them their offices.

“When I came into office, there was a backlog of promotions, and salary arrears but two years after, we are able to conduct promotions as, at and when due, and we have also been able to live up to expectations in the area of payment of salaries arrears commensurate to the rank personnel are hanging on their shoulder.

Congratulating the personnel and their families at the occasion, the CG said “This promotion is based on merit therefore, even if you are decorated and found wanting after, the board can issue a circular to withdraw the promotion.

“In this promotion, what the board has done is to try to streamline all our policies on promotions and see that we consider what is called a federal character to try and balance states that may be under-represented in the present status.

“This promotion, therefore, is given to deserving officers who have worked very assiduously and satisfy all conditions therefore, to whom much is given, much is expected and note that promotion comes from God so those that also sat for this examination but could not get it should know that it is not deliberate, but their time has not come.”

Audi said “It is expected that promotion at this level, from the rank of commandant above, is very key and very sensitive and you must demonstrate the highest level of loyalty without eye service, bootlicking or administrative hypocrisy because loyalty is not 99.9 % but must be 100%.

“We want you to be loyal, and dedicated and be a mentor unto your juniors who looking up to you. We noticed that the spirit of mentorship is gradually dying hence my administration intentionally ensures that every officer grooms his subjects who could grow and even surpass the mentor’s greatness in the near future.”

One of the newly promoted and decorated senior officers and spokesman of the agency, Olusola Odumosu, said the promotion is indeed a call to greater commitment to the service and to Nigeria.

“I have always been dutiful and hardworking, so this promotion will spur more hard work, dedication to service and loyalty to my Commandant General and the entire NSCDC and whatever capacity I find myself in, I will put in my best to lift the name of the Corps just like we’ve been doing.

Appreciating the media for its partnership with the Corps, he said, “To my friends in the media, I want to say a very big thank you to all of you, I am sure without you guys, my hard work would not have been seen so I just want to thank you for always being there whenever I call. Thank you for helping to project the image of the NSCDC to where are because at a time, the NSCDC was almost going into oblivion but our partnership with the media came through.

“To be the director of public relations, at NSCDC is a very great task for me but I thank God that I did it successfully and I am sure it is one of the things that earned me this promotion after wringing it for the second time in a row. I know that the CG will continue to make progress and succeed as a goal-getter with the media as a worthy partner.”