By Ikechukwu Okaforadi
A rights group, Coalition of Civil Societies for Equity, Justice and Good Governance has demanded a probe of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation for frustrating recruitment into federal tertiary institutions and other government departments and agencies.
The coalition, at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, alleged that while the legitimate recruitment process has been frustrated, illegal recruitment is been done secretly.
Dr. Isa Abubakar, convener of the group, who spoke to journalists on behalf of the group, argued that the problem was responsible for the denial of accreditation of tertiary institutions by regulatory agencies in the country.
Flanked by the co-convener of the group, Mr Danesi Momoh, he claimed that many institutions are grossly understaffed leading to extra workload for the few that are already in the system.
He contended that the situation has led to a situation whereby students do not get the best teaching they deserve and lecturers cannot adequately combine the work of teaching, research and community work effectively.
Blaming the Head of service of the federation, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan over her alleged refusal to grant waiver to institutions in dire need of staff recruitment, the group called on the authorities to wade into the matter in the interest of the country.
The group noted: “This is totally unacceptable and must not be accepted from an administration that has fought corruption headlong.
“Many institutions have also lost accreditations because of manpower shortages. The case of University of Abuja is close enough to our doorsteps. Students who graduate from such courses suffer unjustly for no fault of theirs. These evil acts must not be allowed to continue.
“While the Head of Service is denying waivers to institutions to employ, she has secretly been conducting recruitment through the backdoor in direct contravention of the Civil Service rules. She must therefore be sacked from service since she has constituted a stumbling block to the President Buhari anti corruption campaign.
“Recall that the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria had previously questioned the Head of Service over what it termed lopsided and illegal appointments into the civil service. This did not deter the Head of Service who is a secret anti Buhari agent. The harm she has done to the army of unemployed youth, Nigerian tertiary institutions and this administration must be stopped.
