Nigeria Civil Defence Corps to recruit 3,500 personnel

The Commandant General of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Abdullahi Gana, says the agency plans to recruit additional 3,500 personnel in 2017.

Mr. Gana, who made this known on Wednesday while presenting NSCDC’s 2017 budget of N61.4 billion before the House of Representatives Committee on Interior in Abuja, said this is to enable the corps meet the demands from some MDA’s.

The MDA’s include the Ministries of Solid Minerals, Agriculture and Rural Development, Water Resources, Nigeria Railways Corporation and the protection of lives and property in the Northeast region.

Mr. Gana said the recruitment would cost N2 billion and urged the committee to appropriate more fund to the organisation.

He said the corps was facing operational as well as accommodation challenges which requires urgent attention.

“We have debts of only fuelling of operational vehicles of over N150 million; I have accumulated rents of over N400 million. I do not know where to get money to pay.

“You can see some state governors harassing our officers, I do not want to mention the states here, to the extent that they gave our staff one week to vacate.

“I have such cases in more than 25 states where we are living in rented apartments; our state commandants are living in rented apartments.’’

The commander general, however, commended some states government that have been very supportive of the agency’s effort of securing lives and property across the country.

(NAN)