..threatens to Invoke constitutional powers on AMCON, IPPIS others
By Tom Okpe
The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating employment racketeering by Ministries Departments and Agencies MDAs, Parastals and Tetiary Institutions and Mismanagement of Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, (IPPIS) said agencies use waiver to perpetrate fraud in their respective organisations.
The Committee, sitting at the National Assembly on Wednesday also said it would Invoke its constitutional powers should the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria AMCON and the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, (IPPIS) if they fail to appear on Thursday, July 10, 2023.
The Committee Chairman, Rep Yusuf Gagdi who issued the threat at the on-going investigation of employment racketeering by MDAs and other Institutions said many government agencies invited by the committee had deliberately refused to attend the hearing.
The Committee quizzes Chairman and Commissioners of the Federal Character Commission, (FCC) on the issue of job sales to employement seekers said that many of the invited agencies have something to hide on their staff employement and career development records.
The lawmaker had earlier extended invitation to Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, (AMCON) office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Head of Service of the Federation, Federal Civil Service Commission, the Budget office of the Federation, and the IPPIS among other agencies.
While querrying Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria, (TCN) Engr AbdulaIiz S A, and the CEO of Energy Commission of Nigeria, on their employement records, the House Committee said there is no agency in Nigeria that would exonerate itself of some of these defects of favouritism, nepotism and other malpractice in their employement history.
He said many agencies were in the habit of getting waivers to employ their workers, adding that such waiver is a fraudulent practice.
“Because agencies are hiding under waiver to recruit their family members, friends, those that give them money, to sell slots, this is fraud.
“No Agency has any reason not to advertise vacancies for recruitment. But, agencies do not advertise. Why,” he queried.
“You recruit 100, 200, 300, 900, splitting it into three instalments without going to the public to tell Nigerians that they have vacancies and are inviting qualified Nigerians to apply for such positions.
“So take it or leave it, agencies are hiding under waivers to perpetuate employment racketeering and other employment related fraud. That is our position.
“Because there is no agency that would appear here that would not give you a certificate of waiver. Most of the agencies would not bring even, a page of advert in any national daily for its recruitment. So it’s fraud.”
Also in his contribution, a committee member Rep Amobi Ogar, (Abia, LP) said it’s deliberate.
“When you keep requesting for waiver on advertisement, that means something is wrong somewhere and that is the problem we are facing in this country.
“I think it has come to time, we should be doing things right, so that those that do not have people can be able to get jobs because through these waiver, you will do your personal arrangement and deprive good Nigerians the opportunity to get jobs.”
The Committee Chairman, Gagdi said the House probe panel will not take it kindly from agencies that refused to honour invitations from the committee.
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He however enjoined all agencies that did not receive correspondence from the House panel to come, appear before this committee to ask for permission for extension of time to prepare their defense.
The lawmaker further said the Committee would not tolerate agencies that belittled the powers of the Nigerian people by refusing to honour the invitation of the National Assembly committees, adding; “from tomorrow it would begin to face them one after another.”
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