By Jude Opara, Abuja
The Executive Chairman of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), Hon. Ayo Omidiran has warned that Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) that violate the Commission’s laws of job employment would be prosecuted.
Omidiran read the riot act last week at the Commission’s headquarters shortly after assuming office.
She took over from Hon. Kayode Oladele who acted as the Chairman of the Commission since August last year after Dr. Farida Dankaka completed her first five years tenure and could not secure a second term.
Her inability to secure a term renewal was due to the incessant protests against her by the staff.
Omidiran while addressing the staff and management, said the issue of job racketeering is over because it would no longer be business as usual.
She further warned the staff aiding waivers for the MDAs for employment to desist forthwith.
The FCC rules on recruitment stipulates that the recruiting agency must put an advert in two major dailies advertising the vacancies. But in recent times, these rules were not adhered to as they always seek for waiver not to advertise.
Similarly, the MDAs indulge in what they call replacement of staff instead of recruitment of staff. In this process they do not advertise the vacancies to the public.
It was alleged that throughout the five years of Dankaka all the MDAs that employed did not advertise their vacancies, rather were given waivers.
According to Omidiran, in curbing such employment system, Omidiran said both the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Federal Character Enabling Act gave the Commission two main mandates:
“We are empowered by the Constitution to enforce the Federal Character principle which is aimed at ensuring fair and equitable distribution of all cadres of posts in the civil and public service of the federation and the states, the Armed Forces, Police, security agencies, corporate bodies owned by the federal or ztate government and Extra-Ministries/Department and parastatals of the Federation; and Ensuring fair and equitable distribution of social-economic amenities and infrastructural facilities amongst the federating units of the country”.
She therefore warned, “We’ll prosecute MDAs involved in violation of FCC rules for employment.”
Omidiran, a former member of the House of Representatives is the first Executive Chairman of FCC from the South and also the fifth for the Commission since its establishment in 1996.
