The House of Representatives has suspended the recruitment of the 600 newly employed staff of Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Services (FCT-IRS), over breach of the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Federal Character principles.
The resolution was passed after the investigative hearing into the recruitment exercise, which was conducted after obtaining a certificate of compliance for a waiver from an advertisement from the Federal Character Commission (FCC), which was signed by its Chairman, Dr M. Damkaka.
Records on the controversial 586 employments submitted to the Committee as of September 24, 2021, showed that: 144 people were employed in the North East, 237 from North Central, 106 from North West, 26 from South East, 38 from South-South and 37 from South-West, respectively.
Further analysis on a state basis showed that, out of the 144 for North East: Adamawa – 49, Bauchi – 22, Borno – 27, Gombe – 11, Taraba – 19 and Yobe – 16.
Out of 237 employed from North Central: Benue – 13, Kogi – 29, Kwara – 27, Nasarawa – 64, Niger – 41, Plateau – 7 and FCT – 56.
From the 106 employed from North West: Jigawa – 11, Kaduna – 29, Kano – 24, Katsina – 28, Kebbi – 6 and Sokoto – 7.
Out of a total of 26 employed from South East: Abia – 2, Anambra – 5, Ebonyi – 0, Enugu – 6 and Imo – 13.
From a total number of 38 employed from the South-South: Akwa Ibom – 4, Bayelsa – 1, Cross River – 5, Delta – 9, Edo – 15 and Rivers – 2.
Out of the total of 37 employed from South-West: Ekiti – 4, Lagos – 5, Ogun – 8, Ondo – 10, Osun – 9 and Oyo – 1.
The aggrieved lawmakers during the investigative hearing expressed grave concerns over the flagrant abuse of extant public service rules and the high level of impunity being perpetrated at the commission.
The lawmakers who frowned at the development, specifically expressed displeasure over the submission of the FCT-IRS Chairman’s representatives who argued that merit cannot be sacrificed for the constitution.
Worried by the development, the lawmakers who underscored their resolve to defend their oath of office, queried why no single candidate is qualified in Bayelsa while lesser candidates were employed from educationally advanced states.
To this end, Committee, House Committee on Federal Character, Hon Abubakar Yahaya Kusada via a letter with Ref. No: NASS /HR/9/CT/37/27/17 dated: 13th October 2021 and addressed to the Executive Chairman, FCT Inland Revenue Service Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service, conveyed the resolution of the Committee to suspend the recruitment exercise pending the conclusion of its investigation.
The letter titled: ‘Suspension of recruitment’ reads: “Sequel to the interactive meeting held with you, Director Human Resources and Head of Legal on Wednesday, October 13, 2021, on the recently conducted recruitment exercise.
“I wish to inform you that the committee had resolved on a motion that all issues relating to the 600 Staff recently recruited be suspended until violations of the Federal Character principles observed is cleared.
“This is to enable the Committee to establish the extent of your organisation’s level of compliance with the Federal Character principles as enshrined in Chapter II S. 14(3) and Third Schedule Part I C 8 (1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.”
The Committee via a letter Reference No: NASS/HR/9/CT/37/27/243 addressed to the FCT-IRS Executive Chairman, requested for the list of the 600 Staff recruited according to States and Local Government; list of the 38,000 unsolicited applicants received according to States and Local Government and 700 shortlisted applicants for interview according to States and Local Government, based on the meeting held with the FCC Director, Human Resources and Head of Legal on Wednesday, October 13, 2021.
The Committee also resolved to meet with the FCT-IRS Executive Chairman, FCT Permanent Secretary, Director Human Resources and Head of Legal, Commissioner/Committee Chairman, Secretary, Director Monitoring of Federal Character Commission for an interactive meeting on the documents requested and other staff matters, on Tuesday, October 26, 2021.
In the bid to ensure compliance, Hon Kusada maintained that “all invitees should attend the meeting unfailingly and also note that the team led by the Permanent Secretary and FCT-IRS Chairman will be entertained by the Committee.
“This is to enable the committee to establish the extent of your Organization’s level of compliance with the Federal Character principles as enshrined in Chapter II S 14(3) and Third Schedule Part IC 8(1) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.”
Earlier, the Committee via a letter dated September 20, 2021, with Reference No: NASS/HR/9/CT/37/02/157 requested for the: List of the successful candidates approved and signed by the Federal Character Commission for the recruitment exercises conducted; Certificate of compliance issued by Federal Character Commission and application for wavier to Federal Character Commission for the recruitment exercise conducted as well as Advert placed in National dailies if any is not applicable as a waiver was given by the Federal Character Commission and Board approval for recruitment of 600.