New Defence Permanent Secretary, Richard Pheelangwa, Assumes Office
Mr. Richard Pheelangwa, has formally assumed duty as the new Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, describing his appointment as an honour, a responsibility, and a call to strengthen Nigeria’s defence architecture.
He took over on Wednesday at the Ministry’s headquarters, Ship House, Abuja, expressing gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the opportunity to serve at what he called a “critical national institution.”
Pheelangwa pledged to uphold professionalism, transparency, discipline and teamwork in steering the ministry’s core mandates, including defence policy formulation, military administration, logistics, procurement, and international cooperation.
He also emphasised that staff welfare would remain a top priority, noting that “welfare is not a luxury but a necessity.”
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The new Permanent Secretary affirmed his readiness to work closely with the Minister of Defence, the Minister of State, the Service Chiefs, Directors and all ministry staff to improve institutional efficiency, resource management and operational readiness across the Armed Forces.
Earlier, the Director overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Sunday Attah, welcomed Pheelangwa and assured him of the full cooperation of management and staff. He noted that the ministry is “made up of capable hands with vast experience,” and reaffirmed their commitment to supporting his leadership.
The ceremony featured the formal signing of handing-over and taking-over documents between Dr. Attah and the new Permanent Secretary. Pheelangwa was deployed to the ministry from the Federal Ministry of Water Resources.
In a vote of thanks, the Director of Legal Services, Mohammed Hamza, said the new Permanent Secretary would be supported by a “formidable and cooperative team,” adding that staff were eager to contribute ideas that would add value and ensure his success.
The event was attended by directors and senior officials of the Ministry of Defence as well as representatives from the Federal Ministry of Water Resources.
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