House of Representatives has revolved to correct the lopsided nature of employment in the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission to reflect the Federal Character principle.
This resolution was reached Thursday during the budget defence of the Commission before the Hussaini Kangiwa -led House Committee on Governmental Affairs at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja.
The Committee vowed to ensure that Federal Character is reflected in the workforce of the Commission given its sensitive mandate by the National Assembly.
Federal character principle as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution (as amended), seeks to ensure that appointments to public service institutions fairly reflect the linguistic, ethnic, religious, and geographic diversity of the country.
Read Also: https://businessday.ng/exclusives/article/buhari-signs-minimum-wage-bill-into-law/
Kangiwa, Chairman of the committee during budget defence session noted that the employment of the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission was lopsided.
“I have gone through your staff strength, like what the honourable member is talking about, we have a rule which you refused to follow, we have federal Character, which I expect you to follow.
“I have gone through your staff strength, I have gone through the list. If not because of the political appointment, my state would have ended with one person, Zamfara none, Katsina 2. I don’t want to talk of others where they have 5, 10, 15. So, please take note of that”, he submitted.
Richard Egbule, Director General, Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission told the House Committee that, the commission was not abiding with the regulations of the Federal Character in its employment of staff because it has not employed staff in the past 10 years.
Egbule said, “for this reason, they could not abide with the principle as they are yet to employ staff.
“I have taken note of that. Part of the reasons is that we inherited most of those staff. Since ten years, we’ve not recruited any staff. I think we will take care of that”.
James Kwen, Abuja
