The paramilitary agencies are all under the Ministry of Interior.
Operatives of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCOS), the Federal Fire Service (FFS) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have lamented poor remuneration and incentives.
The paramilitary agencies are all under the Ministry of Interior.
According to some of the personnel who spoke to SaharaReporters, they are yet to get salary increase like their counterparts in the Nigeria Police and Department of State Service.
President Muhammadu Buhari had in 2021 approved a new salary structure for the Police Force.
The improved welfare package was one of the issues raised during the #EndSARS protests in October 2020.
“With regard to the welfare of the police personnel, the national salaries, income and wages commission has been directed to expedite actions on the new salary structure for the police force, the enrollment of other paramilitary services are also being reviewed upwards,” Buhari had said while taking to #EndSARS agitators.
However, three years after, SaharaReporters gathered that the President’s directive on officers in paramilitary services had not been carried out.
Some of them who craved anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the issue said while those rank are Inspectors in Police, DSS and anti-graft agency, EFCC receive less than N160,000 monthly, those of the same rank (Inspector) under the Ministry of Interior are being paid N68,000.
“The issue of salary harmonization with that of police in the Ministry of Interior is causing serious crisis within the paramilitary agencies. Remember the President promised the police and other paramilitary agencies during the #EndSARS protest that the issue of our salaries will be look into. While police are enjoying the privilege, other paramilitary agencies like Immigration Services, Correctional Services, Civil Defence are yet to enjoy such privilege,” one of the affected officer said.
“Imagine, a rank of an inspector in police, DSS and EFCC is receiving N160,000 plus while officers under the Interior Ministry receive N68,000. It’s unfair, very bad.”
The aggrieved officer added that salaries given to them cannot take care of their families.
He called on President Buhari to intervene on their issue before leaving office.
Speaking to SaharaReporters, another personnel said, “We officers of the agencies under the Ministry of Interior, which include NIS, NSCDC, FFS and NCoS have been complaining for years now about the way our salaries increase is being handled.
“Life has been difficult for most of us considering how our counterparts in the Police, Customs, DSS and EFCC have been harassing us in terms of what they earn. We have been on this issue for a long time, Before the end of 2022, there was a meeting with the Ministry of Finance on how to harmonize and adjust our salaries with that the Nigeria Police Force.
“Police have already concluded theirs and their officers are being paid the new salary structure but up till now, the Ministry of Interior which we are under has been mute over the matter. We appeal again to the Nigerian government led by President Buhari to conclude the harmonization of salary for the Ministry of Interior
“We are demoralised already due to this poor salary structure.”
Others also alleged those holding HND certificates are still encountering a lingering disparity in terms of proper and regular promotion in the Interior Ministry.
They said these personnel, whose highest qualification is HND, have stagnated on a particular rank and salary despite the Nigerian government circular giving millions of HND holders a ray of hope.
In that circular, dated March 26, 2018 and released by the then Head of Service of the Federation, Winifred Oyo-Ita, it was stated that HND holders will enjoy salary Grade Level 08 (SGL08) in the civil service at the entry point like their colleagues with degrees.
It also encouraged those serving officers who hold HND to fulfil all specified conditions in the scheme of service and extant rules for career progression beyond SGL 14.