About 150 members of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps Volunteer, Kwara State Command, on Wednesday urged the authorities to regularise their employment.

Their leader, Mr. Festus Oloruntile, in an interview with our correspondent, alleged that some of the group's pioneer members were discriminated against during employment.

He said although the affected members were still being paid stipends, he added that they deserved more than that.

Oloruntile alleged that some of them that were short-listed for employment had their names replaced with non-volunteers, adding that the ongoing recruitment provided the authorities the opportunity to correct the anomalies.

Oloruntile said, "The volunteers have constantly been neglected in Kwara State. The fact is that after the passage of the NSCDC Act, we were told that our members would be absorbed into the corps.

"This, we have known and been told for about nine years now. It is very disturbing that up till now, nothing has been done about the issue."

Another member of the group, Mr. Matthew Olubiyo, said they had participated in many screenings and had been assured in the past that they would be absorbed. He regretted that the promises were never fulfilled.

He said, "We have been screened many times. Even about three years ago, they came from Abuja to screen us. They promised that they will absorb us.

"We were even taken to Kwara State Stadium to write examination. They called it general recruitment. They even told us that the volunteers were not meant to take the examination, that the examination was for new intakes and that we would be given automatic employment.

"It was a surprise to us that when they started distributing the appointment letters, none of us was taken."

The Public Relations Officer of the command, Mr. Olanrewaju Kadiri, in a telephone interview with our correspondent on Wednesday, appealed to the volunteers to exercise patience.

He said the Act that established the NSCDC recognises the existence of the volunteers, adding that the authorities were aware of their plights.

"NSCDC is not recruiting for now. But there is a kind of replacement going on now. Some of the volunteers have been absorbed while others are yet to be absorbed. It is a gradual process," he said.