FG Approves Abolition of Degree/HND Dichotomy in Civil Defence, Immigration, Prisons, Fire Services

The Federal Government, yesterday, has approved the abolition of the dichotomy between holders of Bachelor’s Degree and those with Higher National Diploma, HND, in all the Services under the Ministry of Interior. The agencies affected are the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Prisons Service and Federal Fire Service.

Before now, personnel with HND certificates are employed into the Inspectorate cadre while their colleagues with Bachelor’s Degree certificate are in the Superintendent cadre. However, with this new policy, the HND holders will now be moved from the Inspectorate cadre to Superintendent cadre without obtaining any degree certificates as the case was before now.

Confirming this development in a statement on Tuesday, the Secretary to the Civil Defence, Fire, Immigration and Prisons Services Board (CDFIPB), Al-Hassan Yakmut said the approval was given after the board’s meeting on 9th and 10th of this month.

“The board has constituted a technical committee to work out modalities for the implementation, including the harmonisation of ranks in accordance with the abolition,” according to Yakmut.

This is coming just over a year after the board upgraded the entry point for HND holders into the Services from Grade Level 7 to Grade Level 8 just like the Bachelor’s Degree holders.