Reps want embargo on recruitment in Govt agencies lifted
The House of Representatives has urged President Bola Tinubu to lift the embargo on employment in government agencies.
The call was a sequel to the unanimous adoption of a motion by Rep. Francis Waive (APC-Delta) at plenary on Wednesday.
Moving the motion earlier, Waive said that the immediate past administration placed a ban on employment in agencies of the Federal Government.
He said that the ban became necessary amid the recession that hit the economy in the country due to the huge drop in the international price of crude oil at the time and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Waive recalled that the 9th House of Representatives passed a resolution calling on the then-President to lift the ban on employment.
According to him, there are reports on social media that the ban has been lifted, but there is no evidence of any employment taking place whatsoever.
“For several years, there has not been any employment in the Civil Service of the Federation, thereby creating a shortage of manpower, especially in the junior and middle-level cadre, as officers are promoted, some retire, and others die.
“Some agencies have resorted to engaging casual staff who are paid from their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and other sources.
“While it is sad that these casual staff are non-pensionable, the act of spending government money without appropriation by the legislature for whatever purpose is illegal,” he said.
The rep said that the withdrawal of subsidies on petroleum products has increased the hardship of jobless Nigerian youths.
He said that a lifting of the embargo on employment and going ahead to employ young, qualified Nigerians should be part of the rescue measures.
The lawmakers urged the Federal Civil Service Commission and other relevant bodies to immediately act upon the president's directive.
In his ruling, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu mandated the Committees on Public Service Matters, Labour, and Employment (when constituted) to ensure compliance and report back within four weeks for further legislative action.
Supreme News reports that the federal government placed an embargo on employment in the Federal Public Service in March 2020.
This is just as it explained that the exception was only granted to the health and security sectors, as well as certain critical vacancy positions that must be filled.
Also, the immediate past Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, said the Federal Government placed an embargo on employment because the ”economy was not in good shape”.
Ngige, who is a member of both the Federal Cabinet Committee for Economic Recovery and the Economic Sustainability Committee, amongst others,also stated that the government has created small jobs and empowerment programmes to fortify social safety nets and establish a social protection system.
