In a significant stride towards upholding the principle of federal character, the House of Representatives Committee on Federal Character has initiated an investigation into the recruitment practices of the nation’s 12 river basin authorities.
Led by the esteemed former Deputy Speaker, Idris Wase, the committee aims to ensure compliance with the Federal Character Principle in the selection of staff members.
During the committee session held in Abuja, Hon. Wase directed his inquiries towards the Managing Directors of the Hadejia-Jama’a River Basin Authority and the Upper-Niger Basin Development Authority. Focusing on the agencies’ staff strength and recruitment processes, he emphasized the imperative of adhering to the federal character requirement.
Hon. Wase underscored that all federal ministries, departments, and agencies are obligated to uphold the principle of federal character in their recruitment procedures, as mandated by the amended 1999 Constitution.
In an astute observation, Hon. Wase highlighted a discrepancy in the documents provided by the Managing Director of the Hadejia-Jama’a River Basin Authority, Mahmud Dankwali, regarding the agency’s recruitment process. He noted that the most recent recruitment failed to adequately represent all six geopolitical zones of the country.
“It is evident that the recruitment conducted in 2018 did not align with the federal character principle,” Hon. Wase firmly stated. In response, Dankwali clarified the staff composition, revealing that the North West region dominated with 155 employees from Kano State, while Katsina had four employees and Kebbi had two.
Dankwali further disclosed, “Anambra and Edo states each have one staff member, while all other states in the federation are unrepresented.”
The committee extended their scrutiny to Prof. Mohammed Ali, the Managing Director of the Upper-Niger River Basin Development Authority, seeking clarification on the agency’s staff strength and recruitment practices. Prof. Ali was requested to furnish relevant documents pertaining to these matters.
Given the unsatisfactory nature of the documents provided, the committee has summoned the chief executives of both agencies to return on Tuesday, July 23, 2024. They are expected to present a comprehensive list of applications received, the names of shortlisted candidates, and the roster of successful candidates who successfully passed the recruitment examinations.
With this meticulous investigation, the committee strives to ensure that the river basin authorities align their recruitment practices with the principles of fairness.
