The Federal Government on Tuesday said it was making arrangements to conduct aptitude tests for over one million applicants for vacancy positions in the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

The government said the recruitment in the two agencies had provisions in 2020 budget, which cannot be shelved or aborted.

It explained that the programmes were put on hold due to the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, while arrangements were being made to conduct the aptitude tests for the applicants with the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) facilities.

Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola, who announced this during an interactive session with members of the House of Representatives Committee on Interior, said the recruitment would still take place before the end of the year.

The minister said the agencies could not assemble one million applicants across the country at a particular venue because of COVID-19 pandemic.

He added that computer-based tests would be used to determine successful applicants for the vacancies.

Aregbesola told the committee, led by its Deputy Chairman, Emmanuel Ukpon Udion, that the ministry needed resources to address the challenges of maintaining internal security and citizenship integrity.

The minister said the NIS, the NSCDC as well as the Correctional Service and Fire Service were involved in maintaining internal security during #EndSARS protests.

According to him, some personnel of the services were also dealing with the challenges of insurgency and banditry in some parts of the country.

Aregbesola, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr. Shuaib Belgore, explained that some discrepancies noticed in the budget estimates and funds released were due to payments of debts owe the ministry.

He said the 2019 and 2020 budgets had both recorded over 95 per cent performance and assured the committee that the ministry would continue to partner the National Assembly for the good of the country.

Udion said the visit was in line with the over-sight functions of the committee to ensure that budgetary allocations were properly utilised in ministries and their agencies. (The Nation)