Reps to abolish waiver in MDAs’ recruitment, accuse DGs of agencies of nepotism

From Okwe Obi, Abuja

The House of Representatives ad-hoc Committee probing job racketeering in Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs), has vowed to abolish waivers in recruitment exercises in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government.

Its chairman, Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, stated this when the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMCN) appeared before the Committee in Abuja, yesterday.

Gagdi, who was dissatisfied with the non-representation of 12 states in the North East in NPMCN nominal roll, noted that heads of agencies mostly employ their cronies whenever waiver was granted without recourse to the provisions of federal character.

He said MDAs had abused the policy,  adding that any MDA that grants waivers in its recruitment exercise is not doing the country any good.

He said any recruitment that would not follow due process by advertising such on the pages of national dailies would no longer be tolerated.

Gagdi called on MDAs to respect federal character in carrying out recruitment exercises to enable participation across board and to encourage fairness, justice and equity.

The Registrar of NPGMC, Prof. Akinsanya Olayinde Osibogun, claimed that the people from the North East did not apply when there was vacancy, but added that majority of the consultants were from the region.

 “However, as you said concerning the North East, it is not as if the college does not involve people in the North East. Majority of teachers and resident doctors across the North Eastern states are consultants working in the North East. What we are trying to cite is the monitoring centre in the North East. The Centre will be headed by a consultant.

“If we do not have a consultant that will head the centre, it will be difficult for us to employ Clarks and other cadre of staff that will be there.

“Nominal roll did not really increase. If you look at it between 2015 and 2018, it progressively reduced. It was not until 2019 that it increased. And if you look at page 60, sir, we documented all the retirements during the period.”