Outrageous! 4904 workers employed under Jonathan to be sacked under Buhari

– The Federal Character Commission has queried the recruitment of 4,904 civil servants under Goodluck Jonathan

– There are fears that the 4,904 may eventually lose their jobs

– A crisis is aid to have ensued following moves by the Federal Service Commission to sack the 4,904

Following a query into the exercise which saw 4,904 civil servants recruited by the Federal Civil Service Commission in the last administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, there are fears that the workers will be sacked under Buhari’s administration.

Information gathered on Monday, September 12, reveals that moves by the Federal Civil Service Commission to sack the workers had led to a crisis in the civil service.

No fewer than 247 of the affected workers had petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission over a plan by the FCSC to sack them.

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The Acting Executive Chairman of the Federal Character Commission, Dr. Shettima Abba, had queried the Chairman of the FCSC, Mrs. Joan Ayo, for alleged violation of the principle of federal character in the employment of the civil servants in a letter dated May 3, 2016.

He said the recruitment, which took place between 2013 and 2015,  was characterised by a flagrant abuse of the Federal Character principle.

The Punch reports that Abba alleged that the recruitment was tilted in favour of the South-South geopolitical zone against other parts of the country.

He pointed out that the South-South got 33.6 per cent of those employed as against the 26.2 per cent allotted to applicants from the North-East, North-West and North-Central geopolitical zones.

He directed the civil service commission’s boss to ensure that the perceived inequality was addressed in the 2016 recruitment by the commission in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Character Commission.

Abba stated: “The Federal Character Commission has viewed and observed with concern the recruitment exercises undertaken by the Federal Civil Service between 2013 and 2015, which glaringly is lopsided and grossly abused the principle of Federal Character to which all institution have subscribed.

“The recruitment which recorded the engagement of about 4,904 workers, threw away all common sense and wisdom of national cohesion and integration by favouring some states to the detriment of others.

“We are worried that if this trend is allowed to continue, then some sections of the country may not only feel alienated but may feel insecure by the action of people in authority.

“It is inconceivable and a gross injustice for a geopolitical zone to be allocated 33.6 per cent of the total candidates recruited as against 26.2 per cent for three zones combined, North-East, North-West and North-Central.

“We further request without prejudice that all processes must involve the Federal Character Commission for advice and strict adherence to the principle of federal character as contained in our circular on guidelines and procedure for recruitment.”

Investigations revealed that the ICPC intervened in the matter following a protest by 247 of the workers whose jobs were allegedly declared irregular, null and void by the chairman of the FCSC.

A top source at the commission said the ICPC interrogated the chairman of the commission and other top officials to defend allegations that they violated the federal character principle in the last recruitment.

The ICPC had intervened following a staff audit by the FCSC in which it took a decision to sack the affected federal workers.

Consequently, agitated workers wrote the ICPC, alleging that the move to sack them was based on ethnic consideration and a plot to cover up fraud and irregularities in previous employments undertaken by the commission.

The workers showed documentary evidence of exchange of letters between the commission and the office of the Accountant General of the Federation in which the appointments were authenticated.

But the spokesperson for the FCSC, Dr. Abel Oruche,  told one of our correspondents on the telephone  that only those employed irregularly would be removed.

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He also said he was not aware of the interrogation of the chairman or any other officer of the commission by the ICPC.

He stated: “I’m not aware that anybody was interrogated by the ICPC or whether the chairman was invited.  Nobody interrogated the chairman of the FCSC, any commissioner or any official.”

Oruche explained that some people were employed without vacancies, adding that the staff audit was aimed at fishing out such people.

He stated: “The press statement we sent was not reactive, but to explain to people what we have done and what we are doing to avoid rumour or insinuations.

“It is an ongoing audit to make sure that all those people, who were employed irregularly without existing vacancies, are removed.  We didn’t issue the statement because somebody called us.”

Also, in an electronic mail sent  to one of our correspondents on Sunday, Oruche stated that  the FCSC chairman had said the staff audit at the federal civil service had revealed some unauthorised appointments.

Such appointments, the chairman said, had been declared null and void.

According to him, the chairman explained that the staff audit was aimed at fishing out  irregular appointees and delisting them from the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System.

He stated: “The chairman maintained that this action is necessary because the appointments are not backed by any vacancy from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and as such, were not budgeted for.

Besides, they are in gross violation of the Federal Character principle.”

President Muhammadu Buhari has carried out a massive shake-up in the federal civil service with the appointment of Enikanolaiye, Audu-Rafiu Olusola as permanent secretary and the redeployment of eight federal permanent secretaries.

Leadership reports that the shakeup in the service was disclosed in a statement by the director of communications for the head of the civil service of the federation, Haruna Imrana.

Until his appointment, Enikanolaiye was the charge-de affairs at the Nigerian High Commission India.

Meanwhile, reactions have trailed the news that over 4000 civil servants might lose their jobs under this administration.

“This is the most corrupt, nepotic, tribalistic and fanatic Administration i have ever witnessed in Nigeria! It is becoming more and more glaring each day that this Govt is on 2 main agenda;Nothernerzation and Islamization! Having sacked top military officers from the South on corrupt allegation, and recruited about 200 civilian JTFs from the North ONLY, replaced southerners with northerners in all key position in the country, the most recent of which are Jamb and TETFund, alleged secret recruitment of their wards into the CBN and the ongoing secrete recruitment into the civil service, all without due regards for Federal character!

Is that why the civil service rules guiding directorship of govt parastatals were upturned to be without tenure so that after filling the civil service with the northerners, they can continue to rule forever, if that is possible here on earth! He has also refused to probe accusation of corruption against persons in his Administration, such as the Chief of Army staff for mansions he bought in Dubai which his income could not afford, yet persecuting Fayose, Patience Goodlluck and others who are not more corrupt than they!

If everything that the past Administration did is wrong, and has to be upturned, then the country will continue to move in a cycle; and dont forget power is not forever; another Southerner will get there in matter of years and upturn all you have done to favor your side alone. Remember, records are being taken against you people, ride on!,” a certain CT said.

Chemy Said: “Last time I checked, of the service chiefs, two are of southern extraction. Some say key ministries of strategic importance. Last time I checked, Finance, power, housing, national planning, transportation etc are more key than others.

They are occupied by southerners and Christians. Same with the two service chiefs out of four.

Last time I checked, the CBN governor is still a southerner and a Christian. Last time I checked, minister for health another big beneficiary of the budget is a southerner and a Christian.

Last time I checked, FIRS chairman is a Christian and from the south. But last time I checked, many Nigerians celebrated Mark Facebook founder on his visit to Nigeria. But guess what, he doesn’t believe in God at all.”

Emezana said: “What of Muhammadu Buhari’s appointment of core-Northern Hausa-Fulani Muslims in his FGN so far?

Everything in his FGN appointments are lopsidedly North. Charity as they say, begins at home. Buhari and his handlers should first review his heavily “Northern appointments” before they talk of other zones such as SS or the Nigerian Federation at large.

He who asks for equity must come with clean hands. Ye ye.”

Nadeco said: “Buhari is doing what he was asked to do. The auditing should be made open and the commission should ensure thing are done right.

Where was this commission when all the appointments were made. Innocent people who got jobs probably after many years of unemployment will now be sent home to go and join the league of job seekers and we are seeking crime free country.

Chibu said: “Is this not madness. Somebody gave more than 4000 persons work without much promises, but here is a man who promised 3,0000,000 jobs intending to sack workers when he has not even provided one out of the millions he promised. God help us.”

Femostica said: “I am sorry for this country, especially people in the south for not challenging the current adminstration on its unrelenting and crystal-clear agenda of returning to us to a northernised Nigeria.

This is a sad development for our country where there is no fairness and justice. Just like many commenters have rightly said the level of ethnic insensitivity in terms of appointments by this current administration is the worst that anyone has seen and what is more disturbing is that those that are behind this nothernisation agenda are not relenting in their efforts.

It’s lack of inclusion that has bred all forms of militancy, insurgency and clamour for self-determination among some ethnic nationalities in the country.

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All northerners must correct the wrong impression that they have that Nigeria belongs to them. It’s not so! In my own opinion, if they want to be sincere, they should publish the current composition of the Federal Civil Service to see which region has been feeding fat at the expense of the other.

Time and space will not allow here to analyse the impact of this lopsidedness on resource allocation and effectiveness of governance over time.

See the current composition of NNPC’s board and all recent political appointments, you cannot but agree that Nigeria has been sold to the Northern Nigeria. It is a shame!”

I have been saying it and I will say it again for the umpteenth time, that what can salvage this nation is constitutional reform that, at least, guarantees regional autonomy so that each region can grow at its own pace as against the current rigged system in favour of the North where they continue to find a way of perpetuating themselves in every key institution of power.

If we had been practising true federal character, we would not have had a case where the Chief Justices of Nigeria had been predominantly North; even in the military, the ratio of the northerners to the southerners will show all that we are the mercy of the North. God will help us and this nation.”

Jide said: “Dont jst be unreasonable and try to confuse others. How many tribes do we have in Nigeria? The last time i checked we have more than 300 tribes and languages, even the north u are shouting about how many tribes are there?

A tiv man, idoma man from benue, berom man from plateau, yoruba man from kwara n kogi etc are all from northern part of the geographical expression called nigeria. When any of these are appointed ur confused mind will still call it tribalism or nepotism. Even in this government we can count so many southener holding very sensitive position of great economic value. So what s the cry about! I think its high time we moved beyond this rubbish tribal issue and ensure we have good n capable people in office who will help in navigating us through this economic doldrums asap!”

Carmine said: “Watch the ways of those who sing the song of national unity,they always turn out to be the most divisive,ethnocentric individuals ever.The double standard and hypocrisy beats me really.Instead of going on to investigate the competence of the citizens in the employ of the federal civil service,they come up with this?

At a time when ethnic tensions are boiling over in the country;after all,they are Nigerians for emphasis’ sake! Its all too glaring that the “Nigeria project” was ill-conceived and huge mistake.Its okay to do an audit and fish out those “irregularly” employed,irrespective of their ethnicity,but to deliberately target those from the south-south?,that’ll be whimsical and even more parochial.

May God truly grant the nation selfless leaders at all levels of government,because as it stands,the curse of this nation is and has always being our rulers.”

De Kings said: “Buhari’s APC govt is the most corrupt govt I have ever seen. Let him wait sooner or later He and his APC will all pay for the evils they committed in Nigeria.

All his appointments are lopsided and favored only the northerners and right now they are talking of federal character arrangement in the civil service appointment already made between 013 and 015.

So this federal character arrangement is only used in the civil service appointments and not in your lopsided appointments. Buhari and APC are indeed a disgrace to our national coperation.

These people were appointed based on their qualification and expertise becos they can do the job well and not based on geographical zone.

If he(buhari) keeps upturning everything done by the last administration let him not forget also that the power will never remain with him forever someday a southerner will be there too. No matter how dark a night may be there will always be a morning.”

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