From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
Some officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ogun State Command, have petitioned to the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, for help over an alleged lopsided promotion exercise.
The officials complained that they have only been promoted once since they enlisted into the corps in 2010.
The Daily Sun gathered that no fewer than 150 officials of the corps in Ogun state are affected by the alleged lopsided promotion.
The officials accused the corps of fraudulently promoting other personnel who could afford to offer bribes to top officials of the corps.
One of the affected officials who spoke under the condition of anonymity, on Tuesday, alleged that they were being extorted by the management of the NSCDC through payment of exorbitant fees for various promotion exercises, but are yet to get promoted.
He appealed to the Minister to urgently address the delay in their promotion, saying those enlisted into the corps between 2012 and 2016 are now ahead of them.
“We were enlisted into NSCDC in 2010, although we were recruited with Bsc, we were not placed into normal rank which is Assistant Superintendent of Corps II (ASC II) CONPASS 8, rather we were placed on Inspector of Corps CONPASS 7.
“In 2011, the abnormalities were corrected as we were properly placed on CONPASS 8. By 2014, we had already due for the promotion and a promotion exercise was conducted in which out of 100 per cent of our set that sat for the examination, less than 40 per cent were promoted, with the claim that there was no availability of space.
“In 2015, we went for another promotion, we were also denied. Another promotion was conducted in 2017, we were also denied due to the fact that our names did not come out on the eligibility list and we were equally informed that our case was being attended to at the Civil Defense, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Board (CDCFIB) with the claim that our promotion is automatic.
“In the same year 2017, those recruited in 2010 and 2012 with Bsc on CONPASS 8, respectively were advanced to CONPASS 9 and backdated their advancement to 2013 and 2015 respectively which made them ahead of us.
“After almost eight years of stagnation, we were advanced with the 2016 intake to CONPASS 9 without being backdated while our colleagues were dully promoted in 2014, whereas they ought to have done the advancement earlier in 2018.
“Towards the end of 2020, the list of promotions to CONPASS 10 was released by NSCDC/CDCFIB during the tenure of our immediate past Commandant-General, Abdullahi Mohammadu Gana, which rectified the abnormalities, unfortunately, this was not implemented.
“In 2021, another promotion was conducted and the result was not posted. 2012 and 2016 personnel recruited with Bsc/HND are now ahead of us.
“We are appealing to CDCFIB under the leadership of our honourable Minister for Internal Affairs, Rauf Aregbesola, to assist us in rectifying the abnormalities so that the strength and morale of the affected officers can be boosted in order to discharge their duties effectively and efficiently”, the source stated
When contacted, the spokesperson of NSCDC, Olusola Odumosu, denied the allegations, saying the corps promote officials based on the merit and performance of their promotion examination.
Odumosu said, “Every staff that is qualified is allowed to write exams, but if 100 people write exams and there are vacancies for only 20 personnel, you don’t expect the Commandant General to do magic.”