The senate has come down hard on National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), accusing the agency of over two decades of skewed recruitment practices that flout Nigeria’s Federal Character Principle as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
The development came to light on Wednesday during an investigative hearing by Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs, chaired by Senator Allwell Onyesoh (Rivers East).
The hearing was part of an ongoing Senate probe into the recruitment practices of federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
In a pointed exchange, the committee grilled officials of NAFDAC over what it described as an unjustifiable imbalance in the agency’s staffing pattern.
Onyesoh attributed the lop-sidedness to “years of poor leadership”, and warned that such practices undermine national cohesion.
He said, “The agency’s current recruitment structure is a clear violation of the Federal Character Principle. We cannot allow such imbalance to continue in a nation as diverse as ours.”
Responding to the committee’s concerns, NAFDAC Director General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, acknowledged the agency’s historical imbalance in recruitment. She, however, stated that no fresh employment had taken place in recent years, attributing the current state to inherited structural issues.
Adeyeye assured the committee that NAFDAC was committed to redressing the imbalance and had submitted a request for a waiver to facilitate new recruitment that aligned with constitutional requirements of equity, merit, and professionalism.
She stated, “We recognise the issues and are determined to correct them going forward.”
Adeyeye said the agency was suffering a critical manpower shortage that hampered its operations.
Senate Minority Whip, Senator Osita Ngwu (Enugu West), emphasised the legislature’s resolve to enforce fairness and balance in all federal appointments, stressing that agencies failing to comply would be held accountable.
The committee gave NAFDAC a two-week deadline to return with a concrete plan detailing how it intended to address the staffing disparity.
The senate committee also reviewed employment records of Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), led by Engr. Dr. Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz, to determine its compliance with the Federal Character Principle.
Findings on TCN’s case were expected in due course.
Onyesoh reiterated the senate’s commitment to transparent and equitable recruitment across all federal institutions, adding that fairness in employment is vital to sustaining Nigeria’s unity and stability.
The investigation continued as the senate intensified its oversight to ensure inclusiveness and equal opportunity in federal services.
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