FG Removes HND/Degree Disparity For Paramilitary Officers

Disparity in ranking and career progression between Higher National Diploma and Degree Holders in paramilitary organisations has been withdrawn by the Federal Government.

The paramilitary organisations include Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigerian Correctional Service and the Federal Fire Service.

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This was revealed in a memo with reference CDCFIB/1001/vol1/110, dated October 16, 2020, and signed by the Secretary of the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board, Alhassan Yakmut.

Titled, ‘Harmonization of ranks and salaries in the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services,’ the memo was issued at the end of a meeting of the board held between September 24 and 25.

Recall that three years ago, the board under its erstwhile Chairman, and then Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (retd.), had approved the regularization of the dichotomy between holders of university degrees and HND in all the security services.

According to the memo, all candidates recruited by the board with HND will be placed as Assistant Superintendent II CONPASS 08 level and can rise to the highest position in their respective services without discriminatory ceiling or hindrance.

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Furthermore, the memo directed that all inspectorate ranks from senior inspector to chief inspector I are abolished,

It also added that all these officers would be converted to appropriate superintendent ranks.

The memo reads, “The board has withdrawn the ranking and career progression disparity between Degree and HND holders.

“Consequently, all candidates recruited by the board with HND will be placed at Assistant Superintendent II, CONPAS 08 level and can rise to the highest position in their respective Services without discriminatory ceiling or hinderance.

“All Inspectorate ranks from Senior Inspector to Chief Inspector I (T), are abolished and all officers on these ranks will be converted to appropriate Superintendent ranks.”

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All paramilitary ranks, by this, are now aligned with that of the Nigeria Police. The memo stated further that the new ranking system and badges of rank would be introduced soon.

The memo said, in a bid to maintain the level of seniority of officers and ensure discipline, “individual’s level of conversion and effective date will be worked out by the board and the services and will be communicated in due course.”

In addition, the board noted that it was consulting with relevant government agencies on how best to go about the alignment of salaries of personnel with the Nigeria Police structure.

The CDCFISB stated, “Henceforth, promotion of officers shall be based strictly on their individual productivity, successful attendance of mandatory courses and exams and good annual assessment of their performance.”

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