The House of Representatives has unveiled plans to investigate alleged job racketeering in Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS).
The resolution was passed during plenary, which was presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Benjamin Kalu.
In his lead debate on the motion of urgent national importance, Hon. Abdullahi Halims expressed grave concern over the allegation leveled against Federal Government Agency created by the Act of Parliament to serve, meet the needs and aspirations of greater majority of the Nigerian people including job opportunities for qualified Nigerians.
He specifically expressed grief over the crisis bedeviling the “current recruitment exercise which is ongoing in the Agency is allegedly shrouded in secrecy and racketeering with the highest bidders clinching job slots.
“The House is worried that his alleged dubious practice is against the spirit of our federal character principle and portends the danger of depriving and denying qualified Nigerians of getting employed into the Agency to contribute their quota to national development.”
While noting that the Parliament is the only constitutional safeguard to checkmate such unwholesome practice and an act of deprivation, Hon. Halims solicited for the House intervention with a view to being the alleged dubious process to a halt.
To this end, the House resolved to setup an Ad-hoc Committee that will investigate the alleged job racketeering with a view to prescribe appropriate sanctions to the culprits.
Hence, the House resolved to summon NAQS management to appear before the House Committee on Federal Character chaired by Hon. Ahmed Wase for a review of the staff disposition list.
Similarly, Hon. Kalu mandated the House Committee on Legislative Compliance to ensure adherence.