House Probes NEITI, NUPRC Recruitment, Employment Process
•Urges NDDC to resume work on Akwa Ibom road project
Udora Orizu and Juliet Akoje in Abuja
The House of Representatives yesterday has mandated its Committees on Petroleum Upstream and Federal Character to investigate the lopsidedness in the recruitment and employment process by the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and report back within three weeks.
It also urged NEITI and the NUPRC to cancel the recruitment/employment if found short of the federal character requirements.
The resolutions were sequel to the adoption of a motion on the ‘Need to Investigate NEITI and the NUPRC for Lopsided Recruitment/ Employment,’ moved by Hon. Ibrahim Muhammed Hafiz Kawu at plenary yesterday.
Kawu noted that NEITI and the NUPRC are guided and regulated by the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in their recruitment or employment process.
“Aware that NEITI and the NUPRC have embarked on multiple recruitment/ employment.
“Also aware of the public outcry that the recruitment/employment has been concentrated on a particular state/region of the country without recourse to the principle of the Federal Character, fairness, equity and justice,” it stated.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives at plenary yesterday stepped down a motion on the need to condemn attacks on offices and facilities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in several states.
The motion sponsored by Hon. Oluga Taiwo, as listed in the order paper noted that there had been frequent systemic arson and attacks on the personnel, offices and facilities of the INEC, adding that the premeditated attacks seemed to be targeted at crippling the Commission and scuttling the 2023 general elections.
The motion, observed that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) guarantees democratic governance as the only acceptable and legitimate means of governance and democracy is only sustained by free, fair and credible elections, hence, an attack against elections is an attack against democratic governance and perpetrators of such attacks are enemies of the country.
It states that despite the affront on democracy and the constitution of the Nigerian State, the Nigerian Police and other Security Agencies have been unable to arrest perpetrators of the heinous crime.
Hence the prayers of the motion sought to condemn all forms of attack on the facilities and buildings of the federal government in the country, particularly attacks on INEC’s facilities and infrastructure.
It urged politicians and stakeholders to admonish their supporters to refrain from attacks and violence before or during the 2023 elections and also urge the Nigerian Police Force, Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps and other Security Agencies such as the Department of State Services to synergies with the Attorney General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to identify, investigate, arrest and prosecute the perpetrators behind the attacks.”
However, when it was time for the sponsor, Oluga to present it, the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Idris Wase who presided over the session said there was a similar motion in that regard, already passed and the Committee, saying they were expected to submit their report anytime soon.
Also, at the plenary, the lawmakers adopting a motion sponsored by Hon. Aniekan Umanah, on the need to complete the construction of Ediene Abak-Ikot Ekan-Etinan road project in AkwaIbom State, urged the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to ensure that work resumes on the site of the project.
