Connect with us

Uncategorized

Aregbesola: How Interior Ministry Managed 1.5m Applicants For 5,000 NSCDC Jobs; 500 Staff Parading Fake Certificates – Head Of Service

Published

on

 

Rauf Aregbesola The recently concluded recruitment into the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, has been declared one of the fairest and most transparent in recent time, despite the huge number of applicants who applied for the few positions available.

This was declared by the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, at the Policy Dialogue on Entrenching Transparency in Public Service Recruitment in Nigeria, organised by the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria, an institution of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Relates Offences Commission (ICPC) in Abuja on Tuesday.

“For the NSCDC, about 1.5 million applications were registered on the website. Those who met the requirements on age and height were about 750,000 and were asked to upload their certificates. A total of 217,000 applicants uploaded their certificates of which 113,000 were shortlisted to write the CBT but only 53,116 eventually sat for the test. It is from these that 5,000 were picked among the successful ones.

“In recruiting into the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the board decided to advertise in the media to bring the information to the awareness of as many people as possible.

This rules out secret recruitment. We also put away the manual mode of conducting tests and adopted computer based tests that can be done in any location, eliminating the need to have a mass crowd together in one place. We hired a reputable examination body, the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for the aptitude test.

“In addition, we included the National Identity Number (NIN) to authenticate the identities and biodata of applicants and eliminate fraud and possible impersonation.

We also engaged the Federal Character Commission at all stages of the recruitment exercise. All these were done through a dedicated website,” the minister revealed.

The Minister who revealed the process was long and tortuous, however stated that the recruitment exercise was a novelty that came with a lot of pressure, yet we’re able to recruit the best into the service.

“The recruitment process into the NSCDC was long and tortuous, though It is also a novelty. So we expected a lot of pressure. Some of the pressures are understandable. A woman came with her son after getting very high up people to influence his appointment. But we discovered that the son was far, far below the required height of 1.7 metres. Some applicants on wheelchairs also came, demanding for the statutory five per cent allocation for special people. We politely explained to them that the job is paramilitary, requiring strenuous physical exercise for which they are not eligible, given their physical condition.
“One of the lessons we learnt, which we have always known anyway, is that there is no part of this country where we cannot get merit, if we want the best. We got people from all parts of the country who are qualified, including females, as certified by the Federal Character Commission that was part of the process from the beginning to the end,” the Minister noted.
Speaking during his address, the Chairman of the ICPC, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, noted that the event was the third in the series and germane in the fight against corruption.

“You will agree with me that the theme for today, Entrenching Transparency in Public Service Recruitment, is very germane in the fight against corruption and more importantly, they contribute towards the attainment of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) one of whose objectives is promoting an improved legal, policy, and regulatory environment for the fight against corruption.

“Indiscriminate recruitment has impacted personnel budget such that government personnel wage bill has continued to rise geometrically almost doubling between 2015 and 2022 from N1.832trn in 2015 to N3.494trn in 2022,” the ICPC chairman noted.
In her keynote address, the Head of Service of the Federation, Dr. Folashade Esan, campaigned for more transparency in the recruitment process of all government agencies.

“Transparency in recruitment is a matter that elicits interests because some people for some incorrect reasons think public sector jobs are somehow better than jobs in other sectors. In fact, according to a 2021 Q3 report, Agriculture, Trade and Manufacturing stands as the highest employers of labour in Nigeria.

She continued, “In March 2021, my office reported to the ICPC that in a particular Ministry, over 1,000 people were carrying fake employment letters and are already enrolled on the IPPIS platform and are drawing salaries from the Federal Government.

She however listed the measures being put in place to ensure transparency in recruitment and also delist those found wanting or parading fake employment letters.

“Just yesterday, the Civil Service Commission sent us a list of 500 people parading fake employment letters and recommended that their salaries be stopped. A list of another 3,000 was forwarded for their salaries to be stopped until their certificates and letter of appointments are verified,” the Head of service stated.

Other dignitaries at the event include, Provost of the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria, Prof. Tunde Babawale; Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission, Dr. Bello Tukur Ingawa; Director (IPPIS), Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Dr. Ben Nsikak, Executive Director, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), Mr. Adetokunbo Mumini amongst others.

8 / 100 SEO Score

Uncategorized

Lagos Assembly Charges Security Agencies To Redouble Efforts In Combating Extortion By Miscreants

Published

on

By

Lagos Assembly Land Bureau Summon

Acknowledging that the scourge of brazen extortion by miscreants on Lagos streets was on the increase, the Lagos State House of Assembly has called on the Commissioner of Police, CP Olohunda Moshood Jimoh, and heads of other security agencies to intensify intelligence gathering with the latest security apparatuses, increase surveillance on black spots across the metropolis, and, where necessary, arrest such miscreants, and have the state rehabilitate them.

Hon. Sanni Okanlawon (representing Kosofe Constituency 1) raised the alarm at plenary Tuesday, May 6, under ‘Matter of Urgent Public Importance’ stating; “The unlawful extortion of stranded and innocent motorists by miscreants remains a growing concern that demands urgent attention. Nobody on the streets of Lagos is immune to their activities. If left unchecked, they could render the state unsafe.” He painted different unsavoury scenarios of how the street urchins operate brazenly, which he described as unacceptable, and called for urgent intervention to protect road users.
Hom
Supporting the motion, Hon. Kehinde Joseph (Alimosho Constituency II) noted that this particular trend threatens the safety and sanity of road transportation in the state. Hon. Desmond Elliot (Surulere Constituency 1) corroborated this and emphasised the need for active surveillance by security agencies. He also suggested the involvement of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), noting that many of the offenders act under the influence of illegal substances.

Similarly, Hon. Aro Moshood (Ikorodu Constituency II) urged the Commissioner of Police to set up a tactical team dedicated mainly to road monitoring because “It is high time the government took the bull by the horns.” Commending Hon. Okanlawon for moving the motion, Hon. Adebola Shabi (Lagos Mainland Constituency 2) said local government chairmen have a huge role in combating this menace. Effective strategies, she added, have to be devised while recommending the installation of CCTV cameras at identified black spots.

However, Hon. Obafemi Saheed (Kosofe Constituency 2) disclosed that the government has invested heavily in security through the Lagos State Security Trust Fund, LSSTF, and, therefore, should not sit back and watch miscreants take over the city.

Speaker of the Assembly, Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Mudashiru Obasa commended Hon. Okanlawon and the lawmakers who contributed robustly to the debate. He said that the police and other security agencies, including the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC), must collaborate to ensure that Lagos remains safe for residents, commuters, and visitors alike.

40 / 100 SEO Score
Continue Reading

Uncategorized

EFCC arrests suspected internet fraudster over bank account scheme

The EFCC has apprehended Olawole Sunday, suspected of buying bank account details for online fraud, following a £2 million forex scam.

Published

on

By

internet fraudster arrested Nigeria

The EFCC has apprehended Olawole Sunday, suspected of buying bank account details for online fraud, following a £2 million forex scam

 

Operatives of Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have apprehended one Olawole Sunday, a suspected internet fraudster accused of orchestrating a scheme involving the purchase of bank account details from individuals for the purpose of perpetrating financial crimes.

Also read:EFCC Charges Students to Steer Clear of Cyber Crimes

In a statement released on Monday by the EFCC’s head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, it was revealed that Sunday’s alleged fraudulent operation involved the recruitment of young individuals to open multiple bank accounts.

Oyewale stated that Sunday purportedly paid these individuals sums ranging between N25,000 and N50,000 for each bank account they opened, subsequently collecting their complete banking details, including their Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards.

The EFCC detailed how the investigation began when Sunday allegedly utilised the account details of one Uyi Eghosa to defraud an unsuspecting victim of N2 million under the false pretence of engaging in lucrative forex trading.

Following the fraudulent transaction, Eghosa was arrested by EFCC operatives. During the course of interrogation, Eghosa claimed complete ignorance of the illicit use of his bank account.

He informed investigators that he had handed over his account details and ATM card to Sunday in exchange for a payment of N25,000.

Oyewale elaborated on the operation leading to Sunday’s arrest, stating, “Operatives of the Benin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested one Olawole Sunday, a suspected fraudster who specialised in buying bank accounts’ details from individuals with which he defrauds unsuspecting members of the public.

Sunday’s modus operandi involved encouraging young people to open multiple bank accounts, pay them either N25,000 or N50,000 for each account and collect their bank details, including Automated Teller Machine cards.”

The EFCC spokesperson further explained, “Sunday allegedly employed the account details of one Uyi Eghosa to defraud a petitioner of the sum of N2 million under the guise of trading in forex.

The account owner, Eghosa, was arrested, and his disclosure that he was unaware that his account was used in defrauding members of the public led to Sunday’s arrest.”

Oyewale confirmed that upon his arrest, Sunday confessed to the alleged crime. He added that the suspect would be formally charged in court as soon as the ongoing investigations are concluded.

 

10 / 100 SEO Score
Continue Reading

Uncategorized

Epe LG chairman, Hon. Surah Animashaun, celebrates Aare Emmanuel-King at 50

Tributes pour in for Adron Group CEO, Aare Adetola Olaniyi Emmanuel-King, on his 50th birthday, celebrating his dedication to affordable housing and community development.

Published

on

By

Tributes pour in for Adron Group CEO, Aare Adetola Olaniyi Emmanuel-King, on his 50th birthday, celebrating his dedication to affordable housing and community development.

Epe Local Government Executive Chairman, Hon. (Princess) Surah O. Animashaun FHTI, has extended warm congratulations to Aare Adetola Olaniyi Emmanuel-King, Chairman and CEO of Adron Group, on his 50th birthday, praising his significant contributions to affordable housing in Nigeria.

The milestone birthday celebrates Emmanuel-King’s remarkable journey as an entrepreneur and philanthropist, whose dedication has positively impacted numerous Nigerian families.

“Your steadfastness in pursuing your vision, despite challenges, is a shining example of your perseverance and passion.”

Animashaun highlighted his “innovative approach” and “steadfastness in pursuing his vision,” despite facing challenges.

Emmanuel-King’s commitment to making affordable housing accessible has earned him widespread recognition, with his work inspiring others to strive for excellence and community development.

Animashaun concluded her tribute by wishing him “continued good health, wisdom, and success,” as he embarks on a new chapter of life.

5 / 100 SEO Score
Continue Reading

Trending News