The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating job racketeering in federal agencies on Thursday frowned at what it described as a gross violation of the provisions of the laws governing employment in the country.

The committee also demanded an explanation from the management of the Nigeria Institute for Trypanosomiasis and Onchocerciasis Research on why they refused to respect the approval granted them by the Head of Service of the Federation and the Federal Character Commission.

The committee was particularly not happy with the Nigeria Council for Good Science and Technology for failing to respect the constitutional provision on federal character, employing its foundation staff from only two geopolitical zones of the country.

The registrar of the council, Veronica Even had told the committee that the Council which was established in the year 2020 employed 65 staff for its take-off.

But a member of the committee, Wole Oke observed that the employment of the 65 staff failed to take into consideration the provisions of federal character as contained in the 1999 Constitution as amended.

Oke said: “This agency recruited staff without obeying the provision of Federal Character which is a constitutional requirement and the Federal Character Commission gave them a certificate of compliance.

“On what basis was the certificate issued when they failed to comply with the provisions of the Constitution? We have to take this matter seriously.

“This recruitment should be validated because it violates extant laws. You cannot employ people to start a new agency that will be funded by taxpayers’ money when the Nigerian community is not represented. “

Chairman of the committee, Yusuf Adamu Gagdi also queried the issuance of the certificate of compliance to the agency when it was clear that they failed to comply with the provisions of the law.

While demanding an explanation from the management of NITR, the committee wondered why they would request for approval and waiver from the Head of Service and Federal character commission when they will not abide by the approval.

The letters submitted by the agency showed that while they requested for, and got approval from the Head of Service to employ 80 staff, they wrote to the FCC and got approval to employ 90 staff.

However, records of employment the agency made available to the Committee indicate that they eventually employed 86 staff.

Gagdi said: “There was no reason to approach the Head of Service in the first place when you cannot respect and adhere to their approval.”

Meanwhile, the committee chairman has denied indicting the Register of the Joint Admission and Matriculations Board (JAMB), Prof. Ishaq Oloyode or any agency.

Speaking at the resumed hearing of the committee, Gagdi said the committee has been having a robust engagement with all agencies appearing before it.

He said until the committee concludes its assignment and submits a report to the House, it cannot be said that it has indicted any agency for any wrongdoing. (The Nation)

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