[JUST IN] FCC job racketeering: Reps summon Accountant-General, AMCON boss, others

The House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating job racketeering in Federal Capital Commission, FCC, yesterday vowed to exercise its constitutional right on anybody or organization who failed to honour invitations to appear before it.

It also accused the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System, IPPIS, of dodging its investigation.

The Green chamber equally summoned the former desk officer of the Federal Character Commission, FCC, Haruna Kolo, demanding that the Asset Management Company of Nigeria, AMCON, where he is currently employed, to provide him unfailingly today to give further clarification on allegations made against him and by him against chairman of the commission, Muheeba Farida Dankaka, and others.

The committee also asked the Accountant General of the Federation, the Director of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, IPPIS, as well as the Auditor General of the Federation to appear before it.

Recall that Kolo had earlier on Monday, appeared before the committee and admitted collecting money, amounting to N75 million from job job seekers, on the instruction of the chairman, Dankaka.

He was expected to appear for further clarification and on the basis of the evidence on allegations made against him and the allegations he made against his former boss and others but failed to respond to further invitations by the committee.

Meanwhile, the driver and personal assistant of the FCC commissioner for Taraba State who were fingered in the allegation, appeared before the committee yesterday, denying some of the allegations.

According to the driver, identified as Yishau Gambo, in his testimony, “I came to FCC in 2022 with the Taraba State commissioner.

”The commissioner paid me from his personal salary and I was not employed alongside those employed in 2022.”

He, however, admitted he worked with Kolo to sell employment to some persons.

The PA to Taraba State commissioner in the commission, Abdulraman Ibrahim, said his boss asked him to submit his CV for employment, adding that he got his employment letter in 2023 but was yet to be captured.

He denied being part of those employed in 2022 as alleged by Kolo, as the committee directed him to bring today the employment letter he was given.

Ruling on the matter, chairman of the ad hoc committee, Yusuf Gagdi (APC, Plateau), said Kolo must appear unfailingly to substantiate the allegations.

He said: “The committee is in a dilemma why the IPPIS is absconding from the sitting. Why are the desk officers of IPPIS Head of Service and Budget Office absconding?

”We have interacted with the then Accountant General of the Federation and demanded that the IPPIS should post two persons here. Why was Kolo so comfortable to take people at will to IPPIS office for capture.

“Clerk, summon the Accountant General and the Director of the IPPIS to be here tomorrow (today) at 10am. I don’t know why they are running away.

”Secondly, we are equally confused but we have solution as to why Kolo would not come here. He got a notice for 12 o’clock and one o’clock he is in this hall, only for us to ask him to return yesterday and asked to be here today, he absconded. I will sign a letter officially to AMCON to produce Kolo tomorrow (today) by 10 am.

“At least, we have given benefit of the doubt twice. I think it is better Kolo listened to us and appear here, unless he is acting a script to misguide this proceeding and send lies across the federation.

”Let him come, we are interacting. There is nobody here that was intimidated. We are to represent Nigerian people, the good, the bad and the ugly. We owe everyone the duty of care.

“Clerk, call AMCON on phone and send text to them to come here with Kolo. AMCON is supposed to appear before us today (yesterday). Why are they not appearing? Do they know something about what Kolo is doing and why they admitted him in AMCON?

”We would go to the root of this matter, no matter how the agencies claim to be smart or run away. They must come here, we must account to the Nigerian people what we are doing in all the institutions that position of trust is embedded on us. ”