Bill criminalising Civil Service recruitment without advert passes second reading

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A bill for an act to make illegal the filling of vacant positions in the Federal Civil Service, without being advertised has passed second reading on Wednesday.

The bill sponsored by Biodun Olujimi, Ekiti-PDP, alongside others, seeks to mandate the Federal Civil Service Commission to collate and publish a comprehensive list of all vacant positions in the Federal Civil Service and its parastatals every quarter.

Reading the bill, Mrs. Olujimi said millions of Nigerians are disenfranchised as majority of vacancies are not publicly advertised making it necessary for the bill to be passed to stop the practice.

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“A recruiting style, strict guidelines which promote transparency, in the recruitment and appointment process in the public service is very necessary. This in essence is what the bill seeks to achieve,” she said.

“It seeks to do this by putting in place legislative frameworks and mechanism making it mandatory for all existing vacancies in the public service to be published periodically to give equal opportunities to applicants in the recruitment of these personnel.’’

Speaking on the bill, James Ebiowou, Delta-PDP, said if passed, the bill will put a stop to the requests for recruitment assistance from constituents to senators.

“What we hear every day is placement. Every senators has been inundated by their constituents. They come to request for a note to take along for recruitment. We can’t continue like this. What about the downtrodden who have no one to give them note?” he questioned.

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In the same vein, Suleiman Ebiokwu, Nasarawa-PDP, stated that passage of the bill will lessen blackmails senators face over rendering assistance on recruitment.

“Most of us are being blackmailed by looking for work for our constituents. They will come to tell you that employments are going on and you won’t find any advert to show but this recruitment is actually on. I support this bill and hope the executive will assen,” Mr. Ebiokwu said.

The bill has been sent to the Committee on Establishment and Public Service for consideration.