By Francis Wilfred
The Federal Government has announced the commencement of the 2025 promotion exercises for all deserving paramilitary officers which are: The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), the Federal Fire Service (FFS), the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
This announcement was made by the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who is also the Chairman of the Civil Defence, Correctional, Immigration and Fire Services Board (CDCFIB) during the Ministerial Press Briefing in Abuja.
According to the minister, all promotion back locks has been cleared and 52,000 paramilitary officers are set for the next promotion exercises within the NCoS, FFS, NIS and NSCDC.
Dr. Tunji-Ojo emphasized that this year’s promotion exercise is “business unusual” with a newly conceived collaboration between the Ministry and the Nigerian Army Resource Centre.
The Minister stated that this will cater for personnel seeking promotion from Controller Cadre to Assistant Controller General (ACG), and from ACG to Deputy Controller General (DCG).
He noted that the reform is to ensure a more merit-based promotion process where officers will be required to take exams and meet the required score to be eligible for promotion.
“If seniority is the only condition for appointment, there will be no reason for examination. If you ever move into the rank of an ACG or DCG, that is a serious leadership responsibility.
“As a DCG, you should be competent enough to be a presidential appointee. Going forward, we will be more diligent in our operations at the Board level.” he said.
This new development aims to leverage the expertise of the Nigerian Army Resource Centre to promote a more transparent and fair system, given its longstanding expertise in research, education, training, and human capacity development,” the minister stressed.
Speaking on the new model, Tunji-Ojo added that there was an urgency to promote a culture of meritocracy in a bid to foster a more motivated and productive workforce.
“If you have spent 30-something years in service, and yet you cannot pass an exam, trust me, you will not be appointed. We want merit because it is criminal for us to expect you to give what you don’t have.
“We are here to do what the president has commissioned us to do, and that is to ensure that the paramilitary agencies are positioned to play critical roles in national security architecture.
“As a government, for us to perform our responsibilities to the best, we must ensure that the best hands occupy positions of responsibility,” he maintained.
The Minister re-emphasized on the need to shun favouritism and partisanship in service, the Minister stated that officers, regardless of their background, should be given fair opportunities during leadership appointments.
“We must kill favouritism, nepotism, partisanship, and selfishness. What is important to us as a nation is for a son of nobody to get to the highest level without knowing anybody,” he said.
