The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies ( MDAs), and Tertiary Institutions On Mismanagement of Personnel Recruitment, Employment Racketeering and Gross Mismanagement of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), has cautioned the leadership of government agencies to always work for Nigerians and not their local governments or states.
The chairman of the Committee, Hon. Yusuf Gagdi, gave the warning at the resumed hearing of the committee in Abuja.
The warning became necessary as investigation revealed employment lopsidedness in agencies that appeared before the committee.
Hon. Gagdi pointed out that it was unfortunate that people given responsibilities should not see it as a way to uplift their brethren while victimizing other Nigerians.
During their separate appearances, the Chairmen of the Fiscal Responsibility Commission and the Nigeria Hydrological Service Agency failed to meet due process requirements of the Federal Character Commission.
It was observed that both agencies had employment imbalances.
It was observed that the Chief Executive Officers of both agencies largely employed people from their states and local government areas.
To that effect, the chairman and members of the committee pointed out that it was unfair to other Nigerians who had been deprived of employment opportunities.
On sighting the agencies’ nominal rows, the chairman and members of the committee were furious at the lack of spread in employment.
“Let us stop influencing things that favour our own local government and states. Let us be fair to the Nigerian people. Public offices are positions of trust, entrusted to us by the people of this country. If it is the President that appointed you or a Minister, it is the people of Nigeria that gives the power to them to appoint as both have delegated responsibility to appoint you on behalf on behalf of the people of Nigeria. Our report will try to cure a lot of imbalances that exist in our public sector, by the grace of God. “ Hon. Gagdi said.
The Director General of the Nigeria Hydrological Service Agency, Mr. Clement Onyeaso Nze said that following their initial appearance, the agency was asked to return with some documents, which they had brought.
He said that the imbalance will be corrected once the agency was given the waiver for employment.
“Thank you so much Honourable Chairman. Your observation and that of members are quite correct that there is no balance in the spread of the staff of the agency with regard to federal character. Some of these things were done before I came in. And I think this exercise will help us while making further recruitment to close the existing gaps that is already on ground. We are going to close up such gaps once we are granted waiver to do recruitment. “ Mr Nze said.
To this, Hon Yusuf advised that when next the agency was recruiting, other states should be given priority.
He said that the committee also needed to know the gap that existed in the agency, being that they had not recruited over the years.
For his part, the Chairman of the Fiscal Responsibility Commission, Barr. Victor Muruako, also said that the agency was asked to return with the state by state spread of the staff and other documents, which he adopted.
On the issue of lack of adherence to Federal Character, he said the employments were done before his appointment.
Similarly, the Director General of the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute, Prof. Samson Duna, said that the agency recruited twice in the year 2015 and 2018, before he was appointed.
He said that since then, no employment has been done in the agency.
He submitted documents requested by the Ad-hoc Committee.
Also on appearance was the management of the Federal Capital Territory Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Directorate, who were told to go as the body existed as a department under the administration of the Federal Capital Territory.
The committee adjourned for further deliberations.
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