Following revelations by the chairman of the Senate Committee on Federal Character Commission, Danjuma Laah that the Federal Character Commission sells jobs for as high as N3 million, the Senate has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to reconstitute the board of the commission.
Senator Laah revealed that its committee got reports from Nigerians alleging jobs are for sale in the agency.
“Someone bought his job at N3 million from Nigeria Ports Authority and the sellers are in Federal Character Commission. Dirty dealings in the commission have been on while many graduates have been roaming the streets without jobs, while some persons are busy selling job slots to people. Does it make sense? It is an embarrassment to the society and the (Muhammadu) Buhari government.”
The chairman revealed that this sale is a hindrance to President Buhari’s campaign promise to provide jobs for Nigerians…
“He wants to prove his promise by employing 100,000 unemployed graduates, but some people are busy selling the job slots. If we confirm the allegations, we are not going to take it lying low. The committee has been investigating to unravel the culprits. Honestly, the committee will leave no stone unturned in ensuring we get to the root of the matter,” Laah said.
Reconstitution of the Commission
Minority leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, raised a point of order on the floor of the house noting that the Federal Character Commission board has elapsed since 2018 as the commission is being run by an acting chairman “who has now become a sole administrator.”
“No provision of the Act or the Constitution stipulates the need for the office of a sole administrator or an Acting Chairman. The Federal Character Commission has been a tool for unity, equitable Formula distribution and good governance of the Nation. Failure to reconstitute the commission amounts to a constitutional breach of the Act establishing the commission,” Abaribe said.
Abdullahi Shinkafi has been the Acting Chairman of the commission since 2018 and has operated over time without members of the board against Section 2(1) of the Federal Character Act of 1995 which provides that members of the commission shall consist of a chairman who shall be the chief executive of the commission, a representative from each of the states of the federation; and a representative of the FCT, Abuja.
The senate thereafter urged the president to immediately constitute the Commission as not to do so amounts to a breach of the Act establishing the Federal Character Commission and the 1999 constitution (as amended).
“It is very important we have the full complement of the Commission in place and I believe that with this resolution, it will expedite action to reconstitute the membership of the Commission,” Senate President Ahmed Lawan added.
While the senate probes the alleged sale of the job into the Nigerian Ports Authority, the agency’s management is also faced with a probe recommended by the Auditor-General, Anthony Ayine, over irregularities observed in a N7.5 billion contract for Shore Erosion Control Work at Akipelai, Ayakoro and Otuoke towns in Bayelsa State. The anomaly was discovered by the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation after an audit conducted into the account of the port authority.
The chairman of the Senate committee on the federal character commission, however, sought the Senate President’s approval to ensure all ministries, departments, and agencies that failed to honor its invitation during its investigation be taken to court.
Will the federal government act to give hope to the 20.9 million Nigerians who remain jobless, or will this be swept under the carpet?
Only time will tell!
