The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating alleged job racketeering in government agencies has queried the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) over recruitment of over 300 staff without advertising the slots for qualified Nigerians.
JAMB Register, Prof Ishaq Oloyede, had told the panel yesterday during its investigative hearing that the Board carried out the recruitment exercise after obtaining a waiver from the Federal Character Commission (FCC) due to the exigencies and urgency at the time.
He said, “If we were to advertise for the 300 slots, we would not be able to meet what we needed them for. I call your attention to the letter we wrote to the agency (FCC). That was the period we had about 12 to 13 centres coming on board and we needed to man them.”
However, the chairman of the panel, Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, said waivers were being abused and being used to deny qualified Nigerians opportunities to get jobs.
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Gagdi said, “Why did you choose to apply for a waiver when you are recruiting 300 and the law says only if the number is below 100? Why did you use a waiver for the recruitment of over 300 staff?
“You employed 300 staff without advertisement. That is against the law. It short-changed millions of Nigerians that should be given equal opportunity in terms of the employment process.”
Meanwhile, the panel said the job racketeering that happened in the Federal Character Commission will not distract it from probing other MDAs.
Addressing some of the victims of job racketeering in FCC that appeared before the Committee on Monday, Gagdi said, the committee will do all it can to ensure that justice is done when it submits its report.
