The House of Representatives has directed its Committees on Federal Character, Labour, Employment and Productivity, Disability and Public Service to probe alleged ongoing lopsided recruitment in the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) and other agencies under the Federal Ministry of Labour.
The Committees has mandated the investigating team to recommend appropriate sanctions to anyone found culpable of undue favouritism.
The resolutions of the lawmakers were sequel to the adoption of a motion sponsored by Hon. Ismail Tijani, at the plenary, Wednesday.
Moving the motion, Tijani noted that the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund is currently recruiting for positions at the management level.
He recalled that the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige has been embroiled in a battle to control Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), including the NSITF, and had been summoned by the National Assembly for the alleged misdemeanor in 2016 and 2021 respectively.
The lawmaker explained that the House is aware that the summons was based on allegations of employment irregularities, impunity, and anomalies indicating gross abuse of office.
The lawmaker said for this current recruitment only people from one particular part of the country are being recruited in the current exercise, which negates the principles of Federal Character.
He said that the current recruitment process at the NSITF, which is alleged to be biased could negatively affect the promotion of hardworking staff of the organization.
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Hon. Tijani accused the Minister of reign of impunity across the ministries and agencies under his supervision has continued unabated despite engagements and interventions of the National assembly.
He argued that the alleged undue favouritism in the ongoing recruitment exercise could prevent the country from deriving the maximum benefits from the MDAs.
Adopting the motion, the House gave the Committees four weeks to carryout the investigation and report back for further legislative action.
Thereafter, the Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila directed the Clerk, Ben Akubueze to inform the Chairmen of the four Committees to select ten members from their Committee to commence the investigation.
