…New DG employs 50 Sokoto, Zamfara states indigenes
Magnus Eze and Walter Ukaegbu, Abuja
Goings on in the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) may soon be spewed publicly as workers in the agency are aggrieved over a recruitment scandal.
Daily Sun reliably learnt that the disquiet in the place was partly attributed to the secret employment exercise going on in the agency.
A source revealed that about 50 persons, mainly from Sokoto and Zamfara states, have been employed since the Director General, Jelina Aliyu, was appointed in May last year.
The workers also accused the DG of taking the agency backward, pointing out that he has not held any management meeting for over eight months since assumption of office.
According to one of the workers, “since May last year when he was appointed, he has not called for management meeting. The little action we see today began December, when he appointed an Acting Director, Special Duties.
“Besides, another very serious issue is the bad blood already created by the secret employment going on as most of the new staff given employment are mostly from Sokoto State where the Minister of State for Industry and Investment and the DG hail from.
“They know how to do it; just give some money to people at the IPPS and they will enrol them. Files had been piled up in the DG’s office for months, and anyone that goes in remains there.
“We had expected that his coming would be a blessing to the organisation but the reverse is the case. He has taken the organisation years back and the staff morale is nothing to write home about; it’s very low.”
When contacted Spokesperson of NADDC, Mrs. Felicia Izuorah, confirmed that although less than 50 people were employed, the exercise cannot be described as secret, as due process was followed. According to her, it was for the replacement of people who retired from the services of the organisation.
“Before the new DG came, no Sokoto person was in the Council and this made the organisation to employ Sokoto State indigenes to reflect federal character,” she said.
On whether the recruitment was advertised or they got waiver, she explained that there were approvals from the Auditor General’s Office, Ministry of Finance and the Federal Character Commission, adding that some people from Nasarawa and Zamfara states were also employed.
The spokesperson further confirmed that management meeting had not taken place since Aliyu’s tenure, but that he had apologised to the staff while promising to be holding meetings going forward.
She revealed that another round of employment exercise involving about 60 people will soon be held by the organisation, and that the vacancies will be duly advertised.