The Minister of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu, has described the last recruitment at the Nigeria Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) as lacking merit and not following due process.
A statement from the minister’s Special Assistant on Media, Mr Victor Oluwadamilare, in Abuja on Wednesday quoted Shittu as saying that contrary to insinuations in some circles, he did not cancel the exercise because only one candidate from Oyo State was offered employment.
He said the recruitment was cancelled because the conduct was in conflict with the due process.
“The former Director-General of NITDA, Mr Peter Jack, neglected due process in conducting the exercise,’’ he said.
The minister said that the recruitment process was stopped after it was realised that it did not follow laid down procedure and that approvals were not obtained.
“While most of those employed don’t have the requisite skills to adequately bridge the manpower gap in the agency, the employment process did not follow due process.
“Employment letters were issued to the applicants even before the interview,’’ he said.
Shittu said that he could not be held liable for the non-absorption of the 368 candidates issued with letters of appointment from the inconclusive recruitment.
He also said that the former director-general contravened all civil service provisions for the conduct of such an exercise.
He said that the agency suspended the process due to the non-adherence to the guidelines for recruitment in the public service.
He listed some of the guidelines to include mandatory composition of senior staff committee and junior staff committee as well as advertisement in two or more national dailies.
He also said that the agency failed to declare establishment positions, invite observers from the Federal Civil Service Commission, Head of Service and Ministry of Communications as well as to obtain the minister’s approval in the absence of a governing board.
“Candidates were not interviewed; no declaration of vacancies and no ministerial approval before letters of provisional appointment were issued and circulated on Nov. 9, 2015.
“The discrepancies in the employment procedure and non-compliance with laid down rules as well as financial infractions led to the suspension,’’ Shittu said.
He also cited the disengagement of the former director general with effect from Feb. 12, 2016 as one of the reasons for the suspension.
Shittu described the innuendos that he rejected the recruitment because his state was poorly represented on the list of successful applicants as laughable.
He also said that it was a failed attempt to cover the inadequacies inherent in the whole exercise. (NAN)
