The Higher National Diploma (HND) Holders Association of Nigeria has issued a seven –day ultimatum to the federal government to enlist its members for promotion examination into the various directorate cadres.
Mr Kevin Okoro, the association’s Legal Adviser gave the ultimatum in Abuja at a press conference on the implementation of government’s white paper on the removal of undue dichotomy between HND and Degree holders.
“The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation should within seven-day from now take steps to issue appropriate establishments circular on the white paper implementation.
“It should also enlist HND holders who are due for the forthcoming promotion examination into directorate cadre, failure which appropriate legal action will be taken to actualise the decisions.
“As it stands now, it is apparent that there is no law of the federation and no government decision that debarred HND holders from getting to the peak of the Civil Service career of Grade Level 17 ,’’ he said.
Okoro said that holders of HND certificates in the public service have been subjected to monumental injustice, pathological hatred, decimation and stagnation in the service.
He said this was despite their hard work and significant contributions to the socio-economic development of the nation.
He said that HND holders are stagnated for several years in the civil service which include the placement of Grade Level 14 ceiling on career progression irrespective of their competence.
“I will like to say that the last recruitment exercise conducted by the federal civil service in 2013 for about 1000 vacancies, HND holders were not invited to participate in that exercise and there many other cases, ‘’he said.
Okoro also called on the Supervising Minister of Education to take steps to implement the resolution reached by Education Summits and Committees set up by his predecessors.
