COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF A RADIO TOWN HALL MEETING AGAINST CORRUPTION, ORGANISED BY THE PROGRESSIVE IMPACT ORGANIZATION FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT (PRIMORG).

BACKGROUND TO DELIBERATIONS

The Progressive Impact Organization for Community Development (PRIMORG) with support from the MacArthur Foundation held a town hall meeting against corruption on January 22nd, 2021. The theme of the town hall meeting was; THE IMPACT OF CORRUPTION IN RECRUITMENT PROCESS IN NIGERIA. The meeting was also used to celebrate an outstanding public servant, Mr. Phillip Ezegbulam of the Police Service Commission.
He is a 2020 Integrity Icon, renowned for his zero tolerance for corruption in and outside the work space. He proved his mettle as a person of integrity working with the Police Service Commission, where his resilience and doggedness to ensure due process led to the dismissal of an acting Permanent Secretary.

Other participants and speakers at the meeting looked at the dangers of corruption in the recruitment of Nigerians into public service.

The participants include: Chris Muoneke, Legal Practitioner, and partner with Intergeneration Solicitors; Dr Franklyn Akinyosoye, Human Resource Consultant and CEO of MECER Consultancy Ltd; Chief Chidozie Eze, Senior Citizen, Political and Social Commentator; Joel Eneogwe, Executive Director, Community Re-Orientation Movement and Prince Chimaraoke Chukwuka, Representative of Accountability Lab Nigeria.

In the course of deliberation, participants at the town hall meeting noted the following:

– Corruption in the recruitment process in Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies started a very long time ago.

– Nepotism and people paying to get jobs rampant in the recruitment process.

– Corruption in the recruitment process is a flow from higher institutions where there is pervasive frauds in assessments and examinations.

– Corruption in the recruitment process is adversely affecting Nigeria’s economy.

– Corruption in recruitment process is reason for over bloated but less productive civil service.

– Fresh graduates are recruited and placed in positions for people with decades’ experience.

– Selling of jobs in public service is an offense and truncating the Civil Service Act.

– Victims of the recruitment process don’t speak out, or report to authorities.

– Citizens who pay for a job lack the courage to report their ordeal to constituted authorities.

– It is difficult for ordinary Nigerians to get jobs in the public sector.

– Jobs in Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies are shared amongst children, allies or cronies of the political class and elites.

CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATION

– Nigerians must speak out against paying bribes, racketeers and nepotism in the recruitment process into government offices.

– Civil Society Organization must not relent in campaigns against corruption in the recruitment process.

– More young Nigerians urged to emulate and be persons of integrity.

– Government must create a level playing field for all Nigerians to have equal access to job opportunities in the public service.

– The security agencies should be up and doing to arrest and punish those perpetuating the the acts of job sales in Nigeria’s public sector to serve as deterrence.