Reps probe secret recruitment of 909 employees by CBN

The House of Representatives on Thursday
began an investigation into the alleged ‘secret’
recruitment of 909 employees by the Central
Bank of Nigeria.

The controversial recruitment was reportedly
carried out by the apex bank on the directive of
the Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, with a
reasonable number of the beneficiaries being
children and relatives of highly-placed persons
in the country.

At a session presided over by the Speaker, Mr.
Yakubu Dogara, in Abuja, the House asked its
Committees on Federal Character, Banking/
Currency to complete the investigation within
three weeks.

An All Progressives Congress lawmaker from
Kano State, Mr. Aliyu Madaki, had drawn the
attention of the House to the recruitment under
‘matters of urgent public importance’.

Madaki noted that there were no prior
notifications on the recruitment through
advertisements to give all Nigerians the
opportunity to apply.

He recalled that in 2015, there were
speculations that the apex bank conducted a
secret recruitment, but that the bank quickly
denied it.

Madaki added that the latest development only
confirmed that the bank carried out the earlier
recruitment.

He stated, “The recruitment by the CBN is in
breach of the Federal Character Principle as
enshrined in the 1999 Constitution (as
amended).

“The recruitment breached section 14(1); 14(3);
and Section 17(1) of the constitution.
“There was no fairness, no justice in this
exercise conducted by the CBN.”

Lawmakers did not debate the motion before
passing it in a unanimous voice vote.
Dogara had overruled any debate on the issue
on the grounds that it could pre-judge the
outcome of the investigation.

“This is an investigation; let us not allow any
debate so that we won’t pre-empt the
outcome,” he added.

Meanwhile, the majority of the lawmakers on
Thursday endorsed the second reading of a bill
for an Act seeking to repeal the People’s Bank
of Nigeria Act, 2004.

Members said the bank had become moribund
and its functions taken over by the Nigerian
Agricultural Bank.

The bill was sponsored by an APC member from
Yobe State and Chairman, House Committee on
Sports, Mr. Goni Bukar-Lawan.

However, there was some drama as the bill
generated arguments among members.

While some lawmakers felt that the bank could
still be resuscitated, others held the view that it
had since lost its relevance since it had been
merged with the Nigerian Agricultural Bank.

But, the majority won the day as Dogara ruled in
support of the second reading of the proposed
piece of legislation.