By Ubong Ukpong, Abuja 

The House of Representatives, has accused at least, 35 Ministries, Department and Agencies of the federal government, were of refusing to appear before its Ad hoc committee investigating allegations of job racketeering in their organizations.

Rep Yusuf Gagdi, Chairman of the adhoc committee probing employment racketeering and gross mismanagement of Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) said on Tuesday, at the resumed hearing, that most of the agencies were not respectful of constituted authority.

“Most of these agencies are not respectful of constituted authority.

“We are supposed to have the presence of 40 agencies but only four are here,” he said.

He read the riot act against some of the agencies earlier told to provide staff to serve as desk officers in the committee in a bid to provide necessary information when requested but failed.

Gagdi had earlier asked the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Budget Office, IPPIS and the Federal Character Commission to provide desk officers that would be in the committee to give the required information.

After the agencies failed to provide the desk officers, the chairman of the committee ordered that their directors should henceforth come to provide the information needed instead of the desk officers.

“If the desk officers of head of service, budget office, IPPIS are not here then we should summon their directors to come and sit here so we can do the work together, ” he said.

Five of the agencies that appeared before the committee are: Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, National Teachers Institute, National Commission for Colleges of Education and National Power Training Institute of Nigeria among others.

Gagdi berated agencies for applying for waiver for the recruitment without advertising the same, adding that such were usually used to perpetrate fraud.

He noted that instead of engaging 100 staff as stipulated by the law guiding waiver on recruitment some agencies recruited as much as 150, thereby going beyond limit.

Prof. Josiah Ajiboye, Registrar, Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria while answering questions on recruitment, said in 2018, 122 people had been recruited since he became the registrar in 2016.

“We got approval to recruit 122 with budget approval and waiver from the head of Service of the federation.

 Registrar, National Commission for Colleges of Education, Prof. Paulinus Chijioke said the total strength of the commission was 280, while urging for approval to employ more staff.

He said 67 staff were replaced which was contrary to the 69 staff that was submitted to the committee, he was however asked to leave when the number of officers recruited were inconsistent.

NASS Transmits Confirmed List of 45 Ministerial Nominees to Presidency

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Sen. Abdullahi Gumel, has transmitted the confirmed list of 45 ministerial nominees to the Presidency.

Gumel made this known while briefing newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Senate had on Monday, confirmed the appointment of 45 ministerial nominees and put on hold the confirmation of three others.

Those not confirmed included former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, Sen. Abubakar Danladi and Stella Okete.

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, explained that the trio were not confirmed because they were still awaiting security clearance.

Speaking to newsmen, Gumel said, “We transmitted the confirmed list yesterday (Monday) by about 11:30 p.m. to the Chief of Staff to the President.

“The list is now with the Executive, which means that the ministerial nominees were cleared by the Senate and confirmed.”

He appreciated the senators who he said sacrificed their recess and stayed back as patriotic Nigerians to conclude the screening and confirmation of the nominees.

“The interesting thing about what happened in the Senate is that, there wasn’t opposition. The passion and commitment they showed to the work is commendable.

“I’m very grateful to the 10th Senate for making our jobs, those of us who represent the executive, very easy and very interesting.

“So confirming the portfolios of the ministerial nominees, that one is Presidential grace.”

Gumel also explained that the number of the nominees was increased from the usual 42 to 48.

“We have increased the number of ministerial nominees from what we used to have, that is 42.

“Our President sent 48 so we felt that would happen is that some of the ministries which are so big are to be merged together or separated for easy oversight by the Senate, like the Ministry of Works and Housing, which we felt should be separated.

“This is so that they can accommodate the number of ministers.

“The President will give them portfolios so that the government can get going. It is the prerogative of the President,” Gumel said.

He also said that the crop of nominees were drawn from the private sector, technocrats and politicians, governors, serving and non-serving senators, members of House of Representatives, Nigerian women and youths.

“They will help to achieve the ”Renewed Hope” mantra because Nigerians are waiting for the President to get his government running.”(NAN)