The federal government has removed the ranking and career progression disparity between Higher National Diploma (HND) and Degree holders in the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Nigerian Correctional Service and the Federal Fire Service.
A memo with reference CDCFIB/1001/vol1/110, dated October 16, 2020, was issued to this effect by the Secretary of the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board, Mr. Alhassan Yakmut.
A former Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd), who was the chairman of the board, had approved the regularisation of the dichotomy between holders of university degrees and HND in all the security services.
The memo, which was titled: ‘Harmonisation of ranks and salaries in the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services,’ was issued at the end of a meeting of the board held on September 24 and 25.
The memo directed that 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.
It also stipulated that all inspectorate ranks from senior inspector to chief inspector I are abolished, while all these officers would be converted to appropriate superintendent ranks.
“The board has withdrawn the ranking and career progression disparity between Degree and HND holders.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.”
With this development, all ranks in the paramilitary services have been aligned with that of the Nigeria Police, the memo stated, noting that new ranking system and badges of rank would be introduced soon.
To maintain the level of seniority of officers and ensure discipline, the memo said, “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.”
The board further said it was consulting with relevant government agencies on how best to go about the alignment of salaries of personnel with the Nigeria Police structure.
“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,” it added.
