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Employment scam: Reps set to probe State House, MDAs over falsification of credentials, others
****Summon Chairman, Civil Service Commission, Head of Service of the Federation
John Akubo
Some serving Permanent Secretaries, Directors, and Assistant Directors in the State House and other Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government have been alleged to have falsified their age, date of birth, and other vital credentials such as West African Examination Council (WAEC) and Tertiary Institutions results.
In line with that, the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions has invited the Chairman, Federal Civil Service Commission, and Head of Service for the Federation to appear before it.
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 ensures 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 the 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 coming following the petition dated 11th March 2021 initiated by a Civil Society Organisation, Anti Corruption, and Integrity Forum 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.
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The Petitioners who solicited the House intervention called for an investigation into the aforementioned allegations, including the unauthorized extension of service tenures by the 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 the 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 place 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 perpetrated 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 the 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 the public interest, we request a televised public investigation of most of the Permanent Secretaries and Directors cum their Assistants where their 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.
The Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, has issued a stern warning against any attempt to establish a Sharia Court in the state without legal authorization.
This comes in response to the circulation of a digital notice announcing the launch of such a court.
In a statement personally signed on Tuesday, Governor Abiodun emphasized that Sharia Courts cannot be legally established by individuals or groups outside the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution.
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He reaffirmed that the state government only recognizes courts constituted through the legal framework of the Constitution and state laws.
“No Sharia Court is authorized to operate within Ogun State,” Abiodun stated. “The courts legally empowered to adjudicate disputes in the state are Magistrates’ Courts, High Court, Customary Courts, Customary Court of Appeal, Federal High Court, National Industrial Court, Court of Appeal, and Supreme Court.”
He further clarified that Sharia law does not form part of the legal framework in Ogun State and warned against the operation of unauthorized courts or assemblies.
According to the Governor, the state government respects the rights of individuals to practice their religion and apply their faith in personal matters.
However, this freedom does not extend to the creation of institutions or courts without proper legal backing.
Governor Abiodun directed all individuals involved in the creation or operation of the illegal Sharia Court to immediately cease all activities and disband the entity.
He also urged the public to disregard any summons, documents, or communications from the unauthorized court and to report such incidents to the authorities.
“The Ogun State Government will uphold the rule of law, ensure respect for the legal and judicial framework within the state, and prevent any breakdown of law and order,” the statement concluded.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has returned to Abuja after attending the Africa Heads of State Energy Summit held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The presidential aircraft, 001, landed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport at 7:40 pm on Tuesday, according to the State House media office.
The President was received by top government officials, including the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
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The summit, organized by the Tanzanian government in partnership with the African Development Bank Group and the World Bank, centered on advancing “Mission 300,” an initiative designed to provide electricity access to 300 million Africans by 2030.
During the event, African leaders, private sector representatives, development partners, and civil society organizations discussed strategies to overcome the continent’s energy challenges.
Discussions focused on renewable energy, energy efficiency, and accelerating energy access in underserved regions, with an emphasis on mobilizing private sector investment.
On the opening day, ministers from participating nations presented their national energy strategies, known as compacts, which outlined their plans to achieve universal energy access within five years.
The summit culminated in the endorsement of the Dar es Salaam Energy Declaration by Heads of State, including President Tinubu, which charts a unified path for achieving the goals of Mission 300.
In his address, Tinubu reaffirmed Nigeria’s leadership role in Africa’s energy sector and emphasized the country’s commitment to universal energy access.
He highlighted Nigeria’s ongoing clean energy initiatives and detailed its strategy for integrated energy delivery across the continent.
“Nigeria remains committed to achieving universal access to energy and will continue to champion solutions that integrate renewable energy and enhance efficiency across Africa,” Tinubu said.
The President was accompanied by key members of his administration, including the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu; Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu; and Special Adviser on Energy, Olu Verheijen.
An Air Busan passenger plane caught fire at Gimhae International Airport in Busan, South Korea on Tuesday, forcing the evacuation of 176 people on board, Yonhap News Agency reported.
The incident occurred at around 10:30 p.m. local time (1330 GMT) as the aircraft, which was bound for Hong Kong, ignited near its tail section.
A total of 169 passengers and seven flight attendants were evacuated using inflatable slides, Yonhap reported.
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One person sustained injuries during the evacuation, but no further details about the injury or the fire’s cause were immediately available.
South Korea’s Busan fire authorities were not reachable for comment, according to AFP.
This incident comes just weeks after South Korea’s worst aviation disaster in decades.
Recall that on December 29, a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 crash-landed and exploded after striking a concrete barrier at Muan International Airport.
The crash killed 179 of the 181 passengers and crew on board.
According to Flightradar24, Air Busan’s fleet is composed entirely of Airbus aircraft.
The cause of Tuesday’s fire is under investigation.
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