Headline

FCC commissioners accuse Chairman of ”selling jobs” in dollars

Published

10 months ago

July 27, 2023

Some commissioners in the Federal Character Commission (FCC), have accused the chairman of the commission, Mrs Farida Dankaka of ”selling jobs” in dollars in Federal Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) of Government.

The commissioners made the allegations during the House of Representatives Ad hoc committee investigating MDA and parastatal and Tertiary Institutions on employment racketeering in Abuja.

Some of the commissioners who made the allegations include: Mr Abdulrasaq Adeoye, FCC, commissioner, representing Osun, Mr James Dan’iya, representing Kwara.

Others are Abdulwasiu Bawa-Allah, representing Lagos State, Mr Moses Anaughe, representing Delta, Mr Mamman Alakayi, representing Nasarawa among others.

The commissioners also alleged that Dankaka connived with the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to stop petition written against her on job racketeering by the commissioners.

“We petitioned the EFCC to investigate her but to our dismay nothing has been done.

“Job seekers pay as low s N750, 000 and as high as N 7 million depending on the MDAs where the jobs are being sought.”
“The money from the various accounts are transferred into the main account in Access bank.

The commissioners alleged that the chairman often moved her son from one lucrative agencies to the other
In a sweift reaction to the barrage of allegations, Dankaka said, “when you fight corruption, corruption will fight back, ” adding that this is what is happening at the commission.

“I did not come to make money, but to serve my father land, what some of them are looking for is money, before I come here, I have made my money, some of them have their reasons for attacking me.

“For instance, Osun commissioners is always in my office, what they are accusing me of is not true, ” she said.

Dankaka said before she came into office in July 2020, all the commissioners were selling jobs, adding that her refusal to join the fray spurred their anger against her.

According to her, for instance, the commissioner representing, Osun bought a property and told the person that he will be paying with job slots.

This according to her necesitated her letters to MDAs that if they do not see her signature , they should not honour any letter from any commissioner.

The chairman said she refused their offered to compromise, adding that she would be the last person to sell job., adding that the commissioners were behind all the campaign of calumny in the media and on social media.

On the issue of EFCC, she said the agency wanted to employ personnel and got the approval, adding that at no time did she compromise.

Rep Gagdi Yusuf, the chairman of the committee however said that the committee would no be part of politics of any agencies, “we will do our job and justice will be done. “

He queried why document relating to the activities of the commission in terms of employment would be said to have been missing.

Related Topics:Farida Dankaka Federal Character Commission (FCC)

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EFCC bars dollar transactions, orders embassies to charge in naira

Published

6 days ago

May 11, 2024

Desmond Ukafor

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has barred foreign missions based in Nigeria from transacting in foreign currencies and mandated them to use Naira in their financial businesses.

The EFCC has also mandated Nigerian foreign missions domiciled abroad to accept Naira in their financial businesses.

The anti-graft agency said the move is to tackle the dollarisation of the Nigerian economy and the degradation of the naira

The Commission, therefore, asked the government to stop foreign missions in Nigeria from charging visa and other consular services in foreign denominations.

The EFCC gave the advisory in a letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar, for onward transmission to all foreign missions in the country.

In the letter, the EFCC said it issued the advisory because the practice of paying for consular services in dollars was in conflict with extant laws and financial regulations in Nigeria.

In a letter dated April 5, 2024, which was addressed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, titled: “EFCC Advisory to Foreign Missions against Invoicing in US Dollar,” the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede expressed dismay over the invoicing of consular services in Nigeria by foreign missions in dollars.

The EFCC cited Section 20(1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007, which makes currencies issued by the apex bank the only legal tender in Nigeria.

The letter read, “I present to you the compliments of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and wish to notify you about the commission’s observation, with dismay, regarding the unhealthy practice by some foreign missions to invoice consular services to Nigerians and other foreign nationals in the country in United States dollar ($).

“It states that ‘the currency notes issued by the Bank shall be the legal tender in Nigeria on their face value for the payment of any amount’.

“This presupposes that any transaction in currencies other than the naira anywhere in Nigeria contravenes the law and is, therefore, illegal.”

The commission further stated that the rejection of the naira for consular services in Nigeria by certain missions, along with non-compliance with foreign exchange regulations in determining service costs, is not just unlawful but also undermines the nation’s sovereignty embodied in its official currency.

The letter continues: “This trend can no longer be tolerated, especially in a volatile economic environment where the country’s macroeconomic policies are constantly under attack by all manner of state and non-state actors.

“In light of the above, you may wish to convey the commission’s displeasure to all missions in Nigeria and restate Nigeria’s desire for their operations not to conflict with extant laws and regulations in the country.”

Diplomatic sources said yesterday, May 10, that some embassies were wondering whether the EFCC’s advisory represented the position of the Federal Government.

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Prince Harry visits sick Nigerian soldiers in Kaduna

Published

6 days ago

May 11, 2024

Alero Danjuma

Prince Harry and his team visited the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna to interact with wounded soldiers who are receiving treatment.

The Duke of Sussex is in Nigeria with his wife to champion the Invictus Games, which Harry founded to aid the rehabilitation of wounded and sick servicemembers and veterans.

Nigeria joined the Invictus Community of Nations in 2022 becoming the first African country to join.

Prince Harry’s visit to Kaduna came 68 years after his late grandmother Queen Elizabeth II visited the state during the time of the late Premier of Northern Region Sir Ahmadu Bello.