36 personnel of the Nigerian Correctional Service, (NCoS) have been decorated with new ranks following their promotions by the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board, (CDCFIB).

Decorating the officers yesterday in Abuja, Controller General, NCoS, Haliru Nababa, observed that so far, the number promoted in the year 2022 promotion exercise is unprecedented in the service with about 17,636 officers and men promoted representing, about 95% of those who sat for the promotion examinations.

He said personnel welfare will remain a top priority, under his watch hence staff housing and office accommodation are being given special attention with the construction of new barracks and renovation of dilapidated ones.

“As it is often said, promotion comes with higher responsibilities therefore, I charge you to be ready for more work and tougher challenges. As a serious-minded Corrections Officer, I expect nothing short of dedication to duty and professionalism in line with statutory provisions and extant rules.

“On my part, I will not relent in providing the required policy and administrative support within available resources, to ensure smooth and effective service delivery. To the few that were not fortunate, I encourage you not to despair but remain steadfast and key into the next promotion exercise that has already begun,” he said.

The CG also acknowledge the efforts of the former minister of the Interior, Rauf Aregbesola and the board to ensure smooth promotion exercises for steady growth which he said is essential for the achievement of Service-goals and keeping officers motivated and in high spirit.

Permanent Secretary, federal ministry of Interior, Dr Oluwatoyin Akinlade, urged the newly decorated officers to rededicate themselves to their duties as a testament and justification of the trust of their nation and their new ranks.

Represented by Director, Joint Services in the ministry, Peter Egbodo, Akinlade said “Promotion is the one desire of every public officer and goes with promotion.
Promotion is the reward for hard work and it is a call to duty to be more hardworking for better and higher responsibility.”

Secretary to the Board and first substantive Controller General of the NCoS, Ahmed Ja’afaru said promotions will continue to be conducted to fill in available vacancies secured by the agencies from the head of civil service of the federation.

He said the Board will always oblige “by promoting those that are eligible, those that have passed the test because they have gone through the various rudiments and those that have been successful were the people that we find fit and have made the criteria that were set.”

One of the decorated officers, James Okoh, said the promotion is a boost to officers’ morale and a higher call for their unalloyed loyalty to the service through commitment and dedication.