Secrets Reporters
The Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) finds itself in the eye of a storm as an audit report casts a long shadow over its recruitment practices. Like a loose cannon, the report highlights “Appointment of Staff Without Due Process” as a major issue, raising questions about transparency and adherence to established regulations.
The audit’s findings, detailed across several documents, paint a concerning picture. According to Paragraph 020402 (b) (i) of the Public Service Rule (PSR), 2008, contract appointments for expatriates are only permissible when qualified Nigerians are unavailable. Even then, strict conditions apply, including age limits for pensioners, specialized competencies, and public advertisement of positions in at least three national newspapers.
Furthermore, an Establishment Circular (Ref. No. 58775/11/T/358) from July 11, 2017, explicitly warns against “massive and indiscriminate clandestine recruitments in Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies in flagrant disregard of rules and established procedures.” This circular, spurred by reports to the President, outlines a meticulous process for recruitment, including adherence to Manpower Budgets, obtaining waivers from the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, and securing approval from the Federal Character Commission, among other crucial steps.
Despite these clear guidelines, the audit unearthed troubling discrepancies within SON. In 2021, thirteen staff members were found to be on the payroll, with some paid through the IPPIS platform while others received payments directly from the Internally Generated Revenue Account via voucher number 6865. The auditors also hit a brick wall when attempting to access personal files of these staff members to verify due process, and were denied the opportunity to confirm the legitimacy of recruitment processes. This lack of access, like a key withheld from a lock, has only fueled suspicions.
The audit points to “weaknesses in the internal control system at the Standard Organization of Nigeria, Abuja” as the root cause of these anomalies. The risks associated with such practices are manifold, including “abuse of due process in the appointment of staff into the public service,” “favouritism in appointments,” and the ominous possibility of “engagement of incompetent persons.”
In response to these grave concerns, SON’s Management stated that the “contract staff are Director General/Chief Executive aides.” However, the Auditor’s evaluation found this response “not satisfactory,” asserting that “the findings remain valid until the Management implements the recommendations.”
The recommendations themselves are a gauntlet thrown before the Director-General of the Agency: the Director-General of the Agency should be requested to justify to the Public Accounts Committees of the National Assembly the appointment of staff for which there is no evidence of due process.
Furthermore, the Director-General should be requested to recover the salaries and allowances paid to the aforementioned staff and subsequently remit these funds to the Treasury.
Additionally, the Director-General is to forward evidence of both the recovery of funds and their remittance to the Public Accounts Committees of the National Assembly.
Otherwise, should these actions not be taken, sanctions pertaining to irregular payments, as specified in paragraphs 3106 of the Financial Regulations, 2009, ought to be applied.