By Sarah Vincent
The Nigerian Senate on Tuesday says it will heighten sanctions for organisations and persons engaging job racketeering and violation of the principles of federal character as provided for in the constitution of the country.
The Senate also charged the leadership of the Federal Character Commission live up to it mandate of ensuring all agencies of government comply with federal character provisions of the constitution.
Addressing legislative Correspondents at the end of a meeting between the Senate Committee on Federal Character and a Inter-Governmental Affairs and the leadership of the Commission, Chairman of the Committee, SenatorAllwell Onyesoh (Rivers East) said this move will alley the growing mutual suspicion amongst Nigerians in the different zones.
He assure the Commission that no agency of government will come notify the then that they are recruiting, hence, the must go all out to investigate.
“You must put things together. You don’t stay at home and you eat something that is gotten from the bush, no, you go to the bush to get it. Nobody will come and report to you, no, I am employing, I am not employing – you need to go there and see.
“How you do it is your business. How I have been doing mine is my business. We are working, before the meeting, I had some private talks with the leadership and I told them look, they are employing and they said no, no, and I said look – call this person and they called that person and they said no… and I said I am so so person, you employed so so person.
“I saw the employment letter was it forged? And then he said he wants to come and meet me.”
“What I am telling you is that you have to push a little, this is Nigeria.”
Speaking on the sanctions, he said, “You must put some sanctions if you want things to work otherwise it is carry go situation.
“We will ensure that there is consequence for anything you do. This is one of the few committees that derives it powers from the constitution.
“It is a constitutional issue and is very important for the country. Part of the problem of Nigeria is our diversity and then suspicion comes to that. How do you douse that? Is to make A know that B is a friend, that’s all. And this is one of the Commission that has been given the power to do that.”
The FCC is immersed in allegations of job racketeering.
Earlier, the executive chairperson of FCC, Dr. Muheeba Farida Dankaka, denied that there is job sales under her watch, adding that it happened in the past when “the place was like a market place”.
She urged the committee to help the commission to be able to correct the past wrongs and help them with their budget as the 2024 capital approved for them by the National Assembly was reduced to zero by Budget and Planning Office.
