Senate carpets NAFDAC DG over anti-civil service practice

Director General, National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Paul Orhii, yesterday came under severe criticism by the Senate for contravening Civil Service practice.

This was sequel to a petition from an aggrieved staff of the Agency, Esther Amuta, against the Agency for alleged gross injustice against her.

The petition was brought before the Senate last month by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe.

The matter was referred to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, headed by Senator Samuel Anyanwu.

Presenting the report, Anyanwu disclosed, among other observations and findings of the Committee that Anita, as a pioneer staff of NAFDAC, had put in 29 years of service in different directorates of the Agency.

Consequently, the Committee recommended that Amuta be immediately restored to her position as the temporary Head/Deputy Director for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition Directorate, pending the appointment of a substantive director to that position”.

It also recommended that no punitive measure should be taken against her on account of her petitioning of the agency over her struggle for justice.

In his contribution, a pharmacist and federal lawmaker, Matthew Uroghide described the issue as a case of corruption and violation of the Civil Service rule.

He argued that hierarchy ‎and experience supersede one’s course of study in the Civil Service.

In his remarks, the Senate ‎President, Bukola Saraki, commended the Committee for its efforts in producing a detailed report.