Illegal recruitment:  FG to prosecute MDAs heads 

From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

The Federal Government has stated that the Chief Executives of ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) involved in illegal recruitments and promotions will be prosecuted.

The Chaiman Federal Character Commission (FCC), Dr. Muheeba Dankaka, said this on Tuesday in Abuja at the occasion of two year anniversary of the 5th board of the commission.

According to her, there was a change in operational committees, increased monitoring and enforcement, and a zero tolerance for noncompliance.

“May I therefore call on Ministries, Departments and Agencies to abide by our extant circulars on recruitment as it is an offence to recruit, or conduct promotion exercises without recourse to the Federal Character Commission.

“The commission is poised for a strategic prosecution of any MDA, or particularly any Chief Executive who disregard our guidelines and laws,” Dankaka said.

She noted that it has been exactly two years since President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated the FCC board, which is made up of eminent Nigerians, with the charge of living above board, uniting the country through the Federal Character Principle, and contributing its quota to nation building by entrenching justice, fairness, and equity.

“Now, two years down the line, we have tried within the period to live up to these expectations. We have worked to consolidate on the gains of the past. I am happy to announce the final process towards embarking on the equitable distribution of infrastructural facilities, social amenities and economic facilities,” she said.

Dankaka also stated that the organization has received approval from the Ministry of National Planning for the commission to be involved in MDA budget processes in order to provide input on fair and equitable project distribution during the planning and execution stages.

“It is against this background that the committee on the formulae for the distribution pattern of the infrastructural facilities and social economic amenities has concluded their assignment.

“We will be deliberating on the report and after approval by the plenary, the document will be submitted to Mr. President for his approval according to the law,” the FCC boss said.

She said that having realized the lacuna in the commission’s enabling Act and the need for the commission to be potent and react wholesomely to the dynamics of the time.

“We are in the process of amendments of our laws. The National Assembly has since provided the platform and we hope it will be concluded soon. In the same vein, an in-house review of our Business Rules and Ethics has been completed. This will improve our deliberations and regulate our activities,” she said.

The FCC chairman stated that the commission would continue to develop deliberate policies to contribute to the country’s peace and unity, particularly now that the polity is fragmenting at an alarming rate.