The senate warned on Wednesday that some officials of the federal civil service are engaging in secret recruitment while claiming there was an embargo on employment.
The red chamber then challenged heads of various federal ministries and agencies to reveal any evidence proving such an embargo.
Senate Committee on Federal Character Commission and Inter-Governmental Affairs chairman Senator Danjuma La’ah delivered the warning when he defended the 2022 budget report before the appropriation panel.
“Some people are taking advantage of the situation [embargo on employment], but our committee is desirous to doing the right thing,” said the senator.
“We are determined that there are jobs for the graduates we have in this country, no matter what it takes.
“We discovered that young Nigerians who graduated from higher institutions some 15 years ago had yet to gain employment.
“Our committee has been going to ministries, departments and agencies of government that they must start recruitment instead of doing secret replacements.
“Many people are being secretly employed, but those in charge are claiming that there is embargo on employment. I don’t know where they got that from.
“I have been challenging those who are engaging in secret recruitments claiming there is embargo to show us where they got the information from.
“People are retiring voluntarily, but we don’t know how they are being replaced. We must know the particular number of people they want to employ.”
