Nigerian Senate orders probe into employment irregularities in MDA’s
The Senate on Wednesday mandated its Committees on Federal Character, Intergovernmental Affairs, Labour and Productivity, to investigate allegations of employment irregularities in Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs.
The senate took this decision following a motion sponsored by Abubakar Bagudu (PDP-Kebbi) on employment irregularities in the Nigerian Immigration Service and other MDAs.
Mr. Bagudu said that the recruitment exercise embarked by the service and others had generated a lot of criticisms and outcry from the general public.
He alleged that syndicates based in Gwagwalada, Karu, and other towns offered employment letters to people who could afford to pay between N400, 000 and N500, 000.
The recruitment exercise favours some states of the federation which was a total negation of the Federal Character principle, he said.
Contributing to the debate, Awaisu Kuta (PDP-Niger), the Chairman, Federal Character Commission Committee, said the committee had been awash with complaints of MDAs demanding money before giving employment.
“We have come across a lot of complaints by applicants generally that jobs are for the highest bidder and we have tried as much as possible to see what we can to reduce this menace,’’ Mr. Kuta said.
Mr. Kuta advocated more stringent measures for those who breeched the principle of federal character in recruitment.
“Section 15 of the law establishing Federal Character Commission has spelt out penalties for the contravention of the federal character principles of Section 14(3) and 14(4) but the penalties are so soft that you cannot do anything.
“If you contravene the law, you pay only N50, 000 it is only corporate bodies and ministries that will pay N100, 000.
“I think we may have to do something to ensure that the Federal Character principle is complied with and those who contravene it we should use more stringent measures to ensure that they are sanctioned.”
In his contribution, the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, said most people were falling victim to the employment scams because of the unemployment in the country.
Mr. Ekweremadu urged the committees to not only investigate the employment process but to also investigate the deployment process of senior officers in the MDAs.
Ayogu Eze (PDP-Enugu) on his part called on the committees to also look into ways whereby employment could be generated and wealth created outside of the Federal Government.
“A nation that is not able to generate employment will have these types of problems so the committees should also tell us how we can generate employment and create wealth because by so doing not so many people will be interested in Federal Government jobs,” he said.
While ruling on the motion, the Senate President, David Mark, blamed the civil service commission for not living up to its responsibility thereby aggravating the problem.
He said “I believe that the civil service commission that is agency charged with the responsibility for recruitment is most guilty because they also have to look at federal character in their recruitment process.
“There is real unemployment in the land and that is why people are falling victim. The only way to minimise it is to ensure that jobs are created.”
Mr. Mark urged the committees to take their time and do a thorough investigation so as to minimise if not completely eliminate the injustice in the recruitment process of MDAs.
The committees are expected to report back to the senate within eight weeks.
The Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-governmental Affairs had on January 15 met with Chief Executives of some government agencies and criticised them for their flagrant abuse of Federal Character Principles.
NAN
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