House Committee Accuses IPPIS of Dodging Probe, Summons AGF, Others

Juliet Akoje in Abuja

The House of Representatives’s  Ad hoc Committee probing Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Parastatals and Tertiary Institutions over alleged employment racketeering and mismanagement of the  Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS) yesterday has accused the IPPIS of dodging the investigation.

The committee also summoned the Director of the IPPIS, as well as the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) to unfailingly appear  today(Thursday).

The lawmakers also summoned the Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON) as well as one Mr Haruna Kolo, an ex-staff of the Federal Character Commision (FCC), who had admitted to collecting money for employment on behalf of the FCC Chairman, Muheeba Dankaka.

Consequently, the Committee revealed that Kolo is presently working with AMCON.  Kolo had appeared before the committee on Monday when he made the allegation that he was collecting money on behalf of the  Dankaka.

He has,however, failed to honour the invitation of the committee to appear in subsequent hearings on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The Chairman of the committee Yusuf Gagdi, said Kolo must substantiate his allegations and that all those invited must all appear before the committee or face sanctions as provided by the law.

Gagdi said:  “The committee would not tolerate agencies that belittle the powers of the Nigeria people by refusing to honour the invitation of the committee. The Committee is in a dilemma why the IPPIS is absconding from the sitting.”

“The  Desk Officers of IPPIS Head of Service and Budget Office, why are they absconding? We have interacted with the AGF and demanded that the IPPIS should post two persons here. The IPPIS that are capturing, why was Kolo so comfortable to take people at will to the IPPIS office for capture. Clerk, summon the Accountant General and the Director of the IPPIS to be here tomorrow at 10am. I don’t know why they are running away.”

 He further said: “Secondly, we are equally confused but we have a solution as to why would Kolo come here, he got a notice for 12 o’clock and one o’clock he is in this hall. Only for us to ask him to return yesterday and to ask him to be here today and he absconded. I will sign a letter officially to AMCON to produce Kolo tomorrow by 10 am”

“At least we have given the benefit of the doubt twice. I think it is better Kolo listen to us and appear here, unless he is acting a script to misguide this proceeding and send lies across the federation. Let him come. We are interacting. There is nobody here that was intimidated. We are to represent Nigerian people, the good, the bad and the ugly. We owe everyone the duty of care”

“Clerk, call AMCON on the phone and send a text to AMCON, let them come here with Kolo. AMCON was supposed to appear before us today. Why are they not appearing? Do they know something about what Kolo is doing and why they admitted him in AMCON? We would go to the root of this matter no matter how the agencies claim to be smart or run away, they must come here. We must account to the Nigerian people what we are doing in all the various institutions that positions of trust given to us. So AMCON should come. Kolo should appear tomorrow otherwise we would exercise our constitutional powers on Kolo and any other agencies that fail to appear before this committee from tomorrow.”

Gagdi further accused government agencies of committing fraud through waivers to bypass public advertising for employment.

“There is no agency in Nigeria that would exonerate itself of some of these defects of favouritism, nepotism and what have you. Waiver is a fraud pending our recommendation from the House of Representatives because agencies are hiding under waiver to recruit their family members, friends, those that give them money, to sell slots, etcetera.”

“No agency has any reason not to advertise vacancies for recruitment. But every agency does not want to advertise. Why? You recruit 100, 200, 300, 900, 100, splitting it into three instalments without going to the public to tell Nigerians that they have vacancies and are inviting qualified Nigerians to apply for such things. So take it or leave it, agencies are hiding under waivers to perpetuate employment racketeering and other employment related fraud. That is our position. Because there is no agency that would appear here that would not give you a certificate of waiver. Most of the agencies would not bring even a one paged advert in any national daily for its recruitment. So it is a fraud”

 Hon Amobi Godwin Ogar while reacting said government agencies were deliberately seeking waivers to corrupt the proper process of employment.

He said: “From the report that you have submitted on the request for waiver, I noticed that not only your agency, but the majority of the agencies they use this waiver on advertisement to cause this employment racketeering. For me I think it is deliberate. So I want to ask your commission, why refusing to comply with the set up rule to advertise recruitment in respect for the right of applicants.”

“This will promote maximum participation and provision of a wider scope for the selection of the best. Because when you keep requesting for a waiver on advertisement that means something is wrong somewhere and that is  the problem we are facing in this country. I think it has come to the time we should be doing things right, so that those that do not have people can be able to get jobs because through these waivers, you will do your personal arrangement and deprive good Nigerians the opportunity to get jobs.”

The driver of the FCC Commissioner for Taraba State Yishau Gambo, admitted he worked with Kolo to sell employment to some persons.

And also, the personal  assistant, Abdulraman Ibrahim said his boss asked him to submit his CV for employment and that  he had gotten his employment letter in 2023 but was yet to be captured.

However, he denied being part of those that were employed in 2022 as alleged by Kolo and was directed him to bring the employment letter he was given on today.