NDIC begins secret staff recruitment

The Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) last week embarked on secret recruitment of staff to fill observed vacancies in the organisation Daily Sun has authoritatively learnt.

The latest of such exercise took place last Thursday when scores of applicants were screened for appointments into various cadres in the organisation. But the Corporation said its action was in order because it got waiver from the Federal Character Commission (FCC).

Notwithstanding however, it was alleged that the recruitment exercise was mainly organised for children and candidates of influential persons in government as well as some senior management staff of the organisation.

Daily Sun reliably learnt that those invited for the interview, which held at the NDIC Training Academy at No 32, Anthony Enahoro Street, Utako, Abuja, on October 27, were called on telephone and asked to come with six copies of their credentials, including the original of NDIC. The exercise comprising written test and oral interviews conducted by separate panels for various categories of applicants lasted into the night.

A particular panel focused mainly on senior management cadre, although the actual number of those interviewed could not be ascertained. However, an insider source disclosed that over 40 persons were being considered for various positions in the corporation. The source further said that most of them would be posted to the training academy.

When Daily Sun visited venue of the exercise, about 40 vehicles apparently belonging to the applicants were parked at the vicinity, while two stern-looking anti-riot policemen manned the gate. Three prospective applicants were turned back at the gate because their sponsors, it was learnt, could not establish communication with the Managing Director of NDIC, Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim, who was said to have travelled out of the country during the period.

NDIC spokesman, Mr. Hadi Birchi, in a telephone chat denied that the interview was specially arranged for candidates of influential Nigerians. Although he admitted that the vacancies were not advertised, the NDIC spokesperson said those to be employed are still Nigerians.

On inquiry by Daily Sun at the FCC whether the corporation informed it of the exercise, the Acting Secretary of the commission, Mr. Jonas Umeh, said he was not sure a waiver was granted to NDIC.

He, however, explained that some establishments are given advertisement waiver depending on the number of vacancies to be filled. “We sometimes give waivers not to advertise, depending on the number of vacancies. But this time round, I am not sure whether they have waiver not to advertise or not. I am not sure if they applied for waiver in the first instance,” he stated.

Recently, there have been allegations of secret recruitments into many juicy government agencies like the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Federal Inland revenue Service (FIRS), National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), among others.