FCC declares war on job racketeering

From Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja

The Federal Character Commission (FCC) has vowed to clamp down on the illegal sale of federal government jobs, warning that the current leadership will not tolerate the practice in any form.

A Federal Commissioner representing Enugu State at the commission, Peter Ogbonna Eze, said the commission has adopted a zero-tolerance stance against job racketeering as part of efforts to restore transparency and fairness in federal recruitment.

Eze spoke during an interaction with select journalists in Abuja.

He acknowledged that investigations conducted by the commission revealed that the illegal practice of selling federal jobs occurred in the past but stressed that the present leadership is determined to correct the anomalies.

According to him, the commission, under its Executive Chairman, Hulayat Omidiran, has begun implementing reforms aimed at sanitising the recruitment system and rebuilding public confidence.

He explained that one of the key measures being pursued is ensuring that federal ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) publicly advertise job vacancies instead of secretly filling positions.

Eze said open advertisement of vacancies would give qualified Nigerians the opportunity to apply based on merit and reduce backdoor recruitment as well as the monetisation of federal jobs.

The commissioner also disclosed that the commission is reviewing waiver arrangements often granted to MDAs during recruitment exercises to ensure they are not abused.

He noted that the reforms are designed to make federal employment opportunities accessible to Nigerians from all backgrounds, especially those who cannot afford to pay for jobs.

Eze further urged citizens to take advantage of available opportunities, noting that data obtained by the commission showed relatively low application rates from some regions during certain recruitment exercises, including police recruitment.

While reaffirming the commission’s commitment to equitable representation in federal institutions, he expressed confidence that the ongoing reforms would soon bring visible changes.

“We are determined to make improvements from whatever had been happening before. It will not be business as usual,” he said.