The Nigerian government has abolished the dichotomy between holders of university degree and higher national diploma, HND, in all the paramilitary services.
The development was announced through a press statement on Thursday signed by ,Abubakar Magaji, a permanent secretary in the Ministry of Interior.
According to the statement, the Civil Defence, Fire, Immigration and Prisons Board (CDFIPB), under the chairmanship of the Minister of interior, Abdulrahman Dambazzau, gave the approval for the change on Tuesday
The Board directed that all officers with HND are to be upgraded to COMPASS 08, which is the Salary Grade Level for holders of Degree certificates at entry point.
“The nomenclature for the HND holders will start with the Rank of Senior Inspector, the Degree holders are with the rank of Assistant Superintendent II”.
Below is the statement
CIVIL DEFENCE, FIRE, IMMIGRATION AND PRISONS REPOSITIONED FOR EFFECTIVE SERVICE
The Civil Defence, Fire, Immigration and Prisons Board (CDFIPB), at the end of its meeting held on Tuesday, 11th July 2017, under the chairmanship of the Honourable Minister of Interior, Lt Gen. (Rtd) Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau, approved the regularization of the dichotomy between holders of University degrees and Higher National Diploma (HND) in all the Services.
To this end, the Board directed that all officers with HND to be upgraded to COMPASS 08, which is the salary Grade Level for holders of Degree certificates at entry point. While the nomenclature for the HND holders will start with the Rank of Senior Inspector, the Degree holders are with the rank of Assistant Superintendent II.
The Board also approved the commencement of the Year 2017 Promotion Exercise for all the Services with effect from 17th July, 2017.
In order to boost internal security mechanism, the Board accordingly approved the establishment of the Institute of Domestic Security aimed at strengthening Inter-Agency cooperation, among other functions.
In another development, the Federal Government has approved the re-organisation of the Nigeria Immigration Service in line with the provision of Immigration Act, which stipulates the establishment of Directorate of Immigration.
The Directorates, each to be headed by Deputy Comptroller-General, are as follows:
Human Resources Management
Finance and Accounts
Planning, Research and Statistics
Passport and Other Travel Documents
Investigation and Compliance
Border Management
Migration
Visa and Residency
The Honourable Minister states that the Government of President Muhammadu Buhari places high premium on the welfare of its workforce and hopes that officers and men in the Services will reciprocate this gesture through improved performance and dedication to duty, in line with the Executive Order on the Ease of Doing Business, so as to revamp the economy.
Abubakar G. Magaji
Permanent Secretary
I’m not impressed. The dichotomy and discrimination against HND graduates still exists here. Otherwise, why the different ranks given at entry point? An HND graduate is given the rank of Senior Inspector and while his BSc contemporary is given Assistant Superintendent II, and somebody wants to fool us that they are placed on the same pedestal. That somebody has a BSc degree does not in anyway make him intellectually better than an HND graduate. The HND holder only had the misfortune of ending up in a polytechnic for his higher education; I am a typical example, I made a very good result that could get me into any university but because I was unfortunate not to have somebody who could bribe the registrar in my time, I lost the opportunity. Research has shown that HND graduates are captains of industries, and are proving to be better equipped to deliver results for the companies they work for. I am an HND graduate and I make bold to say that I can stand tall and shoulder to shoulder with any BSC holder should we both be given the same exposure to prove our mettle. With my HND certificate, I can modestly say that there’s nothing my contemporary with a BSC certificate has achieved that I haven’t in this life. In case the protagonists of this evil dichotomy and discrimination do not know, multinational companies now prefer HND graduates (because they have seen that they are more thorough practically)than their BSC counterparts with the exception of perhaps those who acquired university education in overseas countries with reputable tertiary educational institutions. So, the earlier the promoters of this evil machination realize this, the better for them and the Nigerian society. Enough said.