The Comptroller General of Customs, Hameed Ali, has directed that the salary scale of officers holding Higher National Diploma (HND) be aligned to Grade Level 8 and be equal with holders of university first degrees.
Ali who announced this on Monday while decorating nine officers at the headquarters in Abuja, said the Presidency, in the absence of a constituted Customs Board, approved the promotion of 3,487 senior officers in the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
The Customs boss who cited a circular dated September 8, 2016 from the Head of Service of the Federation also said government approved since April 1992 that the Service should align with the Nigeria Police force rank structure.
He said, “The CGC has directed as follows: all HND holders currently on salary grade level 07 are automatically moved to salary grade level 08. Supplementary budget will be made for payment of arrears of salary.
“The rank structure of the Service is aligned with the Nigeria Police Force forthwith; officers in the Inspectorate Cadre on salary Grade Level 08 and above are to align to the appropriate rank in the Superintendent Cadre.
“This is expected to boost the morale of officers and eliminate confusion in the seniority of officers,” Ali declared.
Shortly after decorating the six Comptrollers, two Deputy Comptrollers (DC), including the PRO, DC Joseph Attah and an Assistant Comptroller (AC), Abubakar Dalhatu (Deputy PRO), Ali said all the officers promoted got it on merit adding, “For all of you that earned this promotion, you have worked hard for it.”
While charging the officers to take responsibility in their new ranks, Ali said in the past, officers were promoted without deserving it, adding that such era was now in the past.
“Let me appeal to all Customs officers wherever they are to align with the change mantra,” he added.
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