In a bid towards gender inclusivity, the Federal Government has revised recruitment guidelines for the Civil Defence, Fire, Correctional, and Immigration Services, earmarking a 35% allocation for women in future recruitments. The announcement was made by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, following a meeting of the Board of the aforementioned services in Abuja on Friday.

Represented by the Board’s Secretary, Ja’afaru Ahmed, Minister Tunji-Ojo emphasized that ongoing Federal Fire Service recruitment would prioritize professionalism, gender mainstreaming, and adherence to Federal Character principles.

He stated, “The federal government through the Board has approved the review of the guidelines for recruitment into, and promotion in all the four Services under the Ministry of Interior. The development also comes with the modernization of the operations of the Nigeria Immigration Service, encompassing training, recruitment, promotion, professionalism, and cutting-edge technology deployment.”

The Minister further revealed that the Services would soon release timelines for recruitment, marking a step forward in response to calls for increased women’s inclusion in public sector appointments.