FG Inaugurates Committee to Detect Irregular Recruitments in MDAs

By Olawale Ajimotokan

The federal government has inaugurated a committee to checkmate irregularities in the recruitment of officers by Ministries, extra-Ministerial Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HoSF), Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, instituted the committee yesterday with a mandate to stem wanton impunity, sharp practices and fraud in enrolment of newly recruited civil servants on the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).

She decried that a large number of fake appointment letters were being discovered in some ministries, stating that if not stemmed, it could result in denial of employment to many prospective and eligible law-abiding job seekers in the country.

The HoSF said her office is collaborating with security agencies to investigate and bring to book those behind the fraud while also committed to a transparent, accountable and non-compromised IPPIS platform that will rid the system of ghost workers, reduce personnel cost and enhance economic planning.

Yemi-Esan further enjoined members of the committee to view the assignment as a matter of national importance, which demanded their wealth of experience and hard work in ensuring a reliable and credible IPPIS platform.

She expressed appreciation for the support given to her by President Muhammadu Buhari for the implementation of the Human Resource (HR) module of the IPPIS.

In his response, the Chairman of the Committee and Permanent Secretary, Career Management, OHCSF, Mr. Mamman Mahmuda, said the committee would carry out the assignment with all sense of responsibility, with a view to achieving the civil service that would be the pride of all.

Among others, the committee’s terms of reference are to identify the challenges associated with the old process to guide the new process, examine fresh processes of enrolling newly recruited officers on the IPPIS platform and identify the benefits derivable from the new process, including cost saving, where possible.

It will also ensure that the enrolment of new employees on IPPIS is based on the approved waivers from the OHCSF while also treating and capturing all backlogs of newly recruited officers based on the new procedure, subject to authentication of appointment letters, approved waivers; financial clearance and Federal Character Commission Compliance Certificate, where applicable.