Federal Character Commission To Investigate DSS’ ‘Lopsided’ Employment
Lawal Daura, Director General, SSS [/caption]
Federal Character Commission has directed the Department of State Security Service, DSS, to produce a detailed explanation on the alleged lopsided appointments into the organisation.
The Nation reports that the commission vested with the responsibility of enforcing federal character principle of fairness and equity in the distribution of public posts, gave the DSS a three-month ultimatum or face appropriate sanctions.
Recall that the Premium Times had on April 28 uncovered the lopsidedness in the composition of the new officers recently absorbed into the country’s secret police.
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According to the report, Northern states were unduly favoured with 51 persons from Katsina State alone with the whole south-south states getting a combined 42 candidates.
FCC Chairman, Shettima Abba said the commission will investigate whether or not the DSS breached any extant law relating to appointments in line with the rules of the FCC.
He pleaded for more time as the SSS Director General, Lawal Daura, is out of the country on assignment.
“In the Federal Character Commission, we are looking at the total number of,” Mr Abba said.
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“With the DSS, until we look at the total number on the nominal roll and compare it with the recruitment recently made, we cannot categorically say anything yet.
“The FCC has given the DSS three months to respond. If they don’t respond, whatever sanction that is being applied shall be taken. No answer has been given by the DSS because the DG is not in the country.
According to the FCC chairman, similar lopsided recruitment has been made in the past, between 2014 and 2016, adding that the commission has decided to look at the total number from each state which will determine its action.
“Although I have not seen the nominal roll I believe this one might be a corrective measure,” he said.
“We have already written to the DSS to supply us with the details of the recruitment and the details of their nominal roll including those who applied and those shortlisted so that we can confirm if the recruitment is lopsided or not. If we discover that it is lopsided, we will advise them appropriately.
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“Certain states are seriously over employed, if you look at the recent ones, if they were under represented in the previous recruitment before this one, then it is a corrective measure.
“For now it is not yet time for us to conclude on anything. They have to provide us with details of their manpower across the states.”
