TheCable

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says it is investigating “almost 100 petitions” on recruitment scam within the public service.

Bolaji Owasanoye, ICPC chairman, revealed this on Tuesday while speaking at the policy dialogue on the theme, ‘Entrenching Transparency in Public Service Recruitment Process in Nigeria’.

The policy dialogue was organised by the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN), the research and training arm of ICPC, and the event was aimed at producing a policy brief to guide the national response on curbing corruption and irregularities in public service recruitment in Nigeria.

Speaking on recruitment process within the public service, Owasanoye called for measures to promote transparency.

“In actual fact, many Nigerians in both official and non-official quarters have expressed serious concerns over the growing patronage system in the public sector,” NAN quoted him as saying.

“The timing of this policy dialogue cannot have come at a better time than now. This is because there is near consensus across our country and across all political divides that there is a lack of transparency in public service recruitment process across all tiers of government in our country.

“This is regardless of which political party holds the reins of power in these three tiers of government (federal, state and local).

“To underscore the corruption prevalent in the process, ICPC has received and is investigating almost 100 petitions on recruitment scam from innocent victims. The situation festers due to lack of transparency.”

The ICPC chairman, however, did not give further details on if the petitions were at federal, state or local government level.

He added that the policy dialogues is for deliberation on issues on systemic and institutional improvements, which, according to him, will be sustainable regardless of changes in political administration.