Nigeria MDAs conduct illegal recruitment exercises- Federal Character Commission

 Some MDAs secretly and illegally recruit persons into the civil service, FCC said.

Several Ministries, Department and Agencies, MDAs, in Nigeria indulge in illegal and secretive employment of civil servants, the Federal Character Commission, FCC has said.

The Director, Monitoring and Enforcement of the FCC, David Fakeye, said this on Friday in Abuja.

He said the commission had begun investigations into some recruitment exercises by federal government agencies to check those that violated the Federal Civil Service guidelines.

Mr. Fakeye said that recently, the commission constituted a monitoring squad to investigate “incessant and secret” recruitment in some MDAs. He said the monitoring squad which conducted an on-the-spot check on the MDAs, found out that some of them engaged in secret recruitment exercises.

The director said the squad had started visiting the MDAs involved and a report was being collated and warned that the commission would summon MDAs after all options have been exhausted before prosecution.

He said that MDAs must produce a clear criteria and comprehensive guidelines on the procedure for determining eligibility for employment.

“It is prelude to prosecution, depending on the seriousness of the issues for which the MDAs is being summoned,” he said.

Mr. Fakeye said the FCC will also ensure that MDAs comply with set principles for recruitment of civil servants.

“The commission will ensure that MDAs comply with principle of the commission for recruitment of civil servants as it will strengthen and foster the unity of our nation.

“The principles promote a sense of belonging and loyalty among all the citizens and enhance equitable distribution of human and material resources as to engender a balanced sustainable development,” Mr. Fakeye said.

He said the commission is ready to penalise any organisation that does not comply with the principles guiding recruitment in public service or refuses to cooperate with the commission`s request.

“The commission will cancel recruitments not based on its principles or sanction defaulting organisations.”

Mr. Fakeye said the commission issued copies of appropriate guidelines to all the MDAs management adding that the guidelines would help to direct them on how to recruit applicant into their organisations.

He also said the commission has been having interactive meetings with all the MDAs and educating them on the principles guiding recruitment into the public service. He said the commission’s Act worked out equitable formulae for the distribution of all cadres of posts in government organisations. He said the Act also empowers the commission to work out modalities and schemes, subject to the approval of the president for redressing the problems of imbalances and marginalisation in the country.

 

 

NAN