Many federal government agencies and ministries have defiantly continued to carry out illegal recruitment despite many warnings by the Federal Government.
The federal government has resolved to sanction the agencies and ministries involved in such recruitment. The Federal Inland Revenue Service, National Petroleum Corporation Limited, Nigeria Customs Service and Central Bank of Nigeria are some of the agencies.
After thorough investigations, it was revealed that some of these agencies secretly issued employment letters to job seekers which were not accredited by the Office of the Civil Service of the Federation and Federal Civil Service Commission.
Investigations showed that some agencies issued employment letters to jobseekers, which were not accredited by the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation and the Federal Civil Service Commission, while others simply replaced retired or dead officials with friends and family members.
This is happening despite the embargo placed on employment by the federal government.
In 2019, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation was reported to have employed many staffs without following the due process of recruitment.
Applicants and job seekers have shared their experience attempt to get jobs in some of these agencies.
A young man, Sola Ogunbiyi who applied for the Nigeria Custom Service in 2019 said:
“I applied to join the Customs in 2019. I am not happy with the entire process. The entire process made me lose interest in Federal Government jobs and shaped my view that the jobs are only for those with connection.
“You cannot tell me that all the people working in the civil service were employed based on merit. I got to my hometown because I am based in Lagos and heard about how some people had been helped by a popular politician to join the Customs and other government agencies just to service his structure.
“The following year, I got a job at one of the leading commercial banks in the country after a rigorous exercise than that of the Customs. Look, the qualities of those being employed by government agencies and private firms are miles apart; this boils down to the recruitment process. Until we get it right, a lot of things will continue to go wrong.”
Yemisi Odubanjo, said: “I have tried to apply to federal agencies but all my efforts are futile. That has not been the same with my efforts at private organisations.
“I have been able to get some of the jobs I applied for. I think the process of recruitment in government agencies is not transparent enough. It is either you know someone or bribe your way through; otherwise, you cannot get a job solely on your certificate and potential.
“I applied during the last FIRS recruitment and that was the last time I sought government jobs. I was asked to pay a huge amount to get the job, which I could not afford.”
