October 28, 2014.
NewsRescue
By: Nkemakolam Chimuanya
A close observation on Nigerian Prisons Service (NPS), since 2009.
- Inspectorate Cadre in Prisons is basically for Junior Staff while Superintendent Cadre is for Senior Staff.
- Officers on grade Level 12 or higher in inspectorate Cadre are still subordinate to Officers on Grade Level 8 in Superintendent Cadre (Senior Cadre).
- HND Holders (including the professionals Engineers) were recruited as Inspectors of Prisons (IP), Inspectorate Cadre (Junior Cadre). While B. Sc Holders as Superintendent of Prisons (Senior Cadre).
- HND holders were placed on Grade Level Seven (7) earning Forty Thousand Naira (N40, 000) only, while B. Sc holders were on Grade Level Eight (8) earning Eighty Four Thousand Naira (N84, 000) only, as at 2009.
- As at 2009, the Service recruited Officers with the following Academic Certificate; S.S.C.E, N.C.E, N.D, H.N.D and B. Sc. The S.S.C.E, NCE, N.D and B. Sc holders in the service have been promoted to the next level, only officers with HND have not been promoted after six (6) years in the service.
- HND holders were sent to Prisons Training School together with people who have never been to the four walls of tertiary institutions (i.e. SSCE holders) only to start teaching them “what is a noun?” (Without considering their professional certificates) while B. Sc holders were sent to the prestigious prisons staff college, Kaduna where they were treated with so much respect.
- After six (6) months of rigorous training, those in Prisons Training School managed to get Seven Thousand Naira (N7, 000) only as their training allowance, while the B. Sc holders at Prisons Staff College got nothing less than Three Hundred Thousand Naira (N300, 000) only, as their training allowance.
- HND holders are being sent on humiliating errands such as sweeping, buying recharge cards, sachet water, carrying bags, etc. for B. Sc holders even of their set.
- B.Sc holders who were recruited together with the HND holders in 2009 have been promoted to Grade Level nine (09), while the HND holders who were pushed to Grade Level Seven (07) still remain in that Grade Level Seven (7) only to join queue of Inspectors of Prisons (IP) who were due for promotion as at Year 2000 and never got it.
- HND holders only enjoy 21 days Annual Leave while B. Sc holders enjoy their full 30 working days Annual Leave.
- HND holders are being given charge sheet or being locked up or extra duty for committing any offence while B. Sc holders are only being queried.
- HND holders are considered as people who have never been to school. They are being humiliated, dehumanized, maltreated, victimized, discriminated and abused just because of their HND Certificates.
- Is it a crime to have HND in Nigerian Prisons Service?