The federal government has announced the commencement of the 2025 promotion exercises for deserving personnel of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), the Federal Fire Service (FFS), the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

While addressing the personnel at the commencement of the exercise, the Chairman of the Civil Defence, Correctional, Immigration and Fire Services Board (CDCFIB) who is also the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, emphasised the need to eliminate nepotism and favoritism in the promotion process.

According to the minister, this year?s promotion exercise is ?business unusual? with a newly conceived collaboration between the Ministry and the Nigerian Army Resource Centre.

The model, according to the minister, 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 was to ensure a more merit-based promotion process where officers will be required to take exams and meet a benchmark 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.

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 must kill favouritism, nepotism, partisanship and selfishness. What is important to us as a nation is for a son of a nobody to get to the highest level without knowing anybody,? he said. (Daily Trust)

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