By Bavoriat Clara
The newly appointed Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Mr. Richard Pheelangwa, has described his deployment to the ministry as an honour, a responsibility, and a call to contribute to the strengthening of Nigeria’s defence architecture. He expressed deep appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for the confidence reposed in him.
According to a statement issued by the Assistant Director, Information and Public Relations, Enderline Chukwu, for the Director Information and Public Relations, Mr. Pheelangwa made the remarks on Wednesday, 26 November 2025, shortly after assuming office at the Ministry of Defence Headquarters, Ship House, Abuja.
Mr. Pheelangwa pledged to uphold professionalism, transparency, discipline, and teamwork in the discharge of his duties. He noted that his priorities will centre on enhancing defence policy formulation, military administration, logistics, procurement, and international cooperation.
He further expressed readiness to work closely with the Honourable Minister of Defence, the Honourable Minister of State for Defence, the Service Chiefs, Directors, and the entire workforce to deepen efficiency, improve resource management, and bolster operational readiness across all defence institutions. He also assured staff of the ministry that welfare will remain a key priority, stressing that “welfare is not a luxury but a necessity.”
Earlier in his remarks, the Director overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Sunday Attah, welcomed Mr. Pheelangwa and noted that the ministry is endowed with experienced personnel committed to excellence. He assured the new Permanent Secretary of the full cooperation and support of management and staff to ensure the successful attainment of the ministry’s goals.
The event featured the formal signing of the handing-over and taking-over documents between the outgoing overseeing Director and the new Permanent Secretary. Mr. Pheelangwa was deployed to the Ministry of Defence from the Federal Ministry of Water Resources.
In his vote of thanks, the Director of Legal Services, Mohammed Hamza, reaffirmed the readiness of the management and staff to collaborate with the new Permanent Secretary, assuring him of a strong and capable team dedicated to achieving positive results.
Present at the ceremony were Directors and senior officials from the Ministry of Defence, alongside representatives from the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, among others.
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