The Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Ahmed Audi, on Wednesday said he inherited slow promotion of staff members which was dampening morale.

He, however, said he has been able to change the trend, assuring his men of regular promotion.

Audi disclosed this at the NSCDC headquarters in Abuja while speaking at the decoration of newly promoted Assistant Commandants General and Commandants of Corps who were recently promoted by the Federal Government.

He noted that slow promotion has dampened the morale of the staff and has led to indiscipline among personnel.

He said, “Before my coming on board, it was on record that stagnation which cuts across all ranks in the service has dampened staff morale, heightened indiscipline and has also led to loss of confidence in the system, borne out of perceived injustice, and unregulated pattern of promotion.

“In addition, there were no set standards for measuring performance and career progression in the Corps. Therefore, I decided to take the bull by the horns to correct this anomaly by ensuring regular promotions to restore staff confidence and boost their morale at the lowest ebb.

“There was stagnation, some eight years, some 10 years, even 12 years and there is even one that spent 13 years as a Deputy Commandant. This is very  unfair. That is a great injustice and it is not that they have not been passing exams.”

Audi added there were situations where juniors were placed ahead of seniors due to what he termed “some special CG lists”, which he cancelled immediately after he came on board.

He noted, “Confronted by this challenge, I made a commitment to address the observed irregularities, especially in the promotion of officers and men as well as the issue of career progression and I can state with a sense of pride, responsibility and dignity that, I have kept to my promise.

“The recent promotion exercise which over 21,000 personnel benefitted is a true reflection of our commitment to matching words with action. The exercise was unprecedented in the history of the Service and a marked departure from past experiences.”

Audi assured all that the end to stagnation in the Corps had come, saying he was committed to maintaining the same tempo to create a strong incentive, high morale and job satisfaction for staff.

He charged all officers being decorated to see their elevation as a call for higher responsibilities, urging them to increase their commitment and productivity.

“It is equally expected to reflect in job efficiency, effectiveness and dedication as well as increased loyalty,” he added.

The NSCDC CG assured that he would continue to maintain uniformity, consistency, fairness and impartiality in staff promotion based on merit.