Reps Committee set to probe employment scam, certificate forgery in presidency

Chairman, Federal Civil Service Commission and Head of Service for the Federation are expected to appear before the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions over alleged falsification of age, date of birth and other vital credentials such as West African Examination Council (WAEC) and Tertiary Institutions results by some serving Permanent Secretaries, Directors and Assistant Directors in the State House and other Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government.

The invitations were sent by the Chairman, House Committee on Public Petitions, Hon. Jerry Alagbaso via two separate letters titled: ‘Request for names and personnel records’, with Reference No: NASS/9HR/CT.5 and dated 29th March, 2022.

The invitation reads: “The above Committee is investigating a petition laid on the floor of our Chambers on 29th March, 2022 regarding the falsifications and doctoring of ages, dates of Births and vital credentials of some Permanent Secretaries, Directors and Deputy Directors of MDAs and Parastatals as well as unauthorized extensions of service tenures by the Federal Civil Service Commission and the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation between 2015 – 2022.

“It is against the above background that we established the need to reach your office. Thus, we wish to request that you furnish the House of Representatives, Committee on Public Petitions within five (5) days with the names of all the Permanent Secretaries, Directors and Deputy Directors in all the Federal Ministries, Agencies and Parastatals and of course their present postings and those (if any) on extension of tenures. You are to submit five (5) copies of the above requests to the House of Representatives meeting Room 429, New Wing OR office No. 0.42 ground floor.”

The proposed investigative hearing was sequel to the petition dated 11th March, 2021 initiated by a Civil Society Organisation, Anti-Corruption and Integrity Forum via petition addressed to the Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila and read on the floor of the House.

The 3-page petition was co-signed by Anti-Corruption and Integrity Forum’s President and Secretary, Dickson Sola Williams and Victoria Abam.

The Petitioners who solicited for the House intervention, called for investigation into the aforementioned allegations, including unauthorized extension of service tenures by Federal Civil Service Commission and Head of the Civil Service of the Federation between 2015 and 2022.

“The Anti-Corruption and Integrity Forum is an organization formed to advocate for transparency and accountability as well as protect the interest of Nigerians with regards to governance and government and associated issues.

“That considering the various efforts of government at combating corruption and other vices in Nigeria, we are determined to assist government to realize her objectives in that regard by holing government officers as well as heads of private organizations accountable for their actions in and out of office. And for us, there is no hiding place or places for any officer who betrayed the public trust.

“In the light of all these, we wish to ask the House of Representatives through her Committee on Public Petitions to investigate the various allegations of irregularities and illegalities being perpetuated by Permanent Secretaries, Directors and Assistant Directors in the Ministries, Departments, Agencies and Parastatals and supervised by Federal Civil Service Commission and Head of Civil Service of the Federation between 2015 – 2022.

“We the petitioners through an intelligence gathering and research have discovered falsification and doctoring of documents by some Permanent Secretaries, Directors and Assistant Directors in the various Ministries like Ministries of Agric, Sports, Head of Service office manned by I. A. Mairiga, Public Service Commission – especially office of recruitment and appointment manned by Ibrahim Anjuga, State House Asokoro, Ministries of Power, Environment, Special Duties, Labour and Productivity and some Agencies and Parastatals.

“That surprisingly the above irregularities are being superintended knowingly or unknowingly by the Federal Civil Service Commission (Recruitment and Appointment Section).

“Therefore, Mr. Speaker, your Committee on Public Petitions must unravel these irregularities by requesting the Chairman of the Federal Civil Service and the Head of Service to produce a comprehensive list of the Permanent Secretaries, Directors and Assistant Directors in the above Ministries, Departments, Agencies and Parastatals for scrutiny and investigation.

“Mr. Speaker, those who enjoying extensions of contract or contract appointments either as Permanent Secretaries, Directors and Assistant Directors from 2015 – 2022/23 in various areas said to be ‘in the public interest’ are to be submitted to the Public Petitions Committee for proper verifications and investigation in a public hearing where we intend to produce relevant names and documents.

“Mr. Speaker, there are various outcries today among some serving senior officials of the different ministries, departments, agencies and parastatals where there are snail-speed promotions and upward mobilities because some Permanent Secretaries, Directors and Assistant Directors refused to retire statutorily on attainments of 60 years or after serving for 35 years. Rather they stay put through falsification and doctoring of their credentials or year of employment thereby preventing others from upward service mobility.

“Mr. Speaker, for public interest, we request a televised public investigation of most of the Permanent Secretaries and Directors cum their Assistants where there Secondary School or Teachers Training Schools Certificates will be produced and scrutinized – by marrying them with their various University Degrees.

“Considering the zero corruption dispositions of president Buhari and House of Representatives under the able leadership of Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, we hereby call on the House of Representatives through her Committee on Public Petitions to look into these allegations and painstakingly investigate them to ensure that all those found culpable to any of the above irregularities are referred to the relevant authorities for prosecution and imprisonment for their criminal activities in the service of our nation,” the Petitioner urged,” the petition read.