Recruits of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) from the 2012 intake, who hold Higher National Diploma (HND) certificates, are appealing to President Bola Tinubu, the Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Head of Service, and all well-meaning Nigerians to investigate the disparities they have faced within the NSCDC.
According to their statement, these recruits took the Confirmation and Promotion (COMPRO) examination in 2014, which is the designated year for confirmation according to the Public Service Rules. However, despite passing the COMPRO, they were not advanced, properly placed, or promoted. In 2016, a replacement exercise took place, during which all officers recruited as Assistant Superintendent of Corps II (ASCII) were automatically promoted to the next rank. Meanwhile, HND holders who were recruited in 2012 remained at the Inspector level (level seven).
Furthermore, it was not until 2018 that the NSCDC implemented the removal of the HND/BSc dichotomy, which had already been implemented in other paramilitary agencies under the Ministry of Interior in 2016, two years earlier. As a result, the majority of their counterparts who were recruited with a Bachelor’s degree are now holding the rank of Superintendent (level 11), while up to 95% of the HND holders recruited in 2012 are still at the rank of one-star ASCII (level eight) as of 2023. They have also been denied promotion exams for many years, including the fourth consecutive year in 2022.
The statement highlights that personnel with Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), National Certificate of Education (NCE), and Trade Test Certificates have been able to write promotion exams as scheduled, unlike the HND holders. Additionally, some junior officers who were initially recruited in 2012 with the lowest rank and later enrolled in part-time degree programs were not only converted to senior ranks but also promoted to two-star ASCII (level nine), placing them above the HND holders who were recruited in the same year.
The HND recruits express their frustration, having served in the NSCDC for 11 years without proper recognition and promotion. They note that this treatment goes against the Public Service Rule, which stipulates that workers should be promoted to the next level within a maximum of three years. They also mention the lack of promotion letters and the discrepancy in treatment compared to their counterparts in other sister agencies under the Ministry of Interior.
The recruits appeal for justice and call on the Nigerian government to intervene, as their career stagnancy has affected their morale, financial well-being, and job efficiency. They emphasize the need to be properly placed on the appropriate rank that reflects their years of service. The statement concludes by pleading for prompt consideration and assistance from the government.
The statement was written by Rahman Edwin, an Assistant Superintendent of Corps II, on behalf of the concerned NSCDC 2012 HND recruits from Ogun State.
