Petition: ICPC begins investigation on job racketeering

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission said it had begun investigation into a petition it received from the Chairman of the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee, Yusuf Gagdi, regarding job racketeering.

The anti-corruption commission disclosed this in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Mrs Azuka Ogugua, on Friday, adding that it also received a petition from Premium Times, an online newspaper.

It read, “The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has commenced investigation into petitions received from Premium Times and Hon. Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, Chairman of the House of Representatives’ Ad-Hoc Committee on the Investigation of Job Racketeering and Gross Mismanagement in Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies, over bribery allegations against the probe panel.”

Recall that the House of Representatives had issued a warrant for the arrest of a former desk officer at the Federal Character Commission, Haruna Kolo.

Earlier, the Committee of Vice Chancellors of Federal Universities denied paying money to bribe members of the House Committee investigating the job racketeering in Ministries Departments and Agencies.

The Vice Chancellors at a panel hearing on Friday noted that they paid money into a particular account in order to get some foreign currencies needed for their travel.

The Vice-Chancellor, the University of Jos, Prof. Ishaya Tanko, who spoke on behalf of the vice-chancellors when they appeared before the committee, said the money that was sent by some vice-chancellors was meant for foreign exchange for them to attend an international workshop organised for them in Birmingham, the United Kingdom beginning from Tuesday, September 5.

He said, “During our last meeting, we requested for two weeks because some of the universities did not come with some of the documents required from them.

“But we read the very disturbing media publication and I can say that the vice-chancellors are not part of that. The vice-chancellors have not provided any bribe to anybody.

“What I recalled happened was that the next day, there was a workshop for the vice-chancellors and because there is another international workshop organised for the Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities, I recalled that a number of people were looking for estacode in the form of foreign exchange that will enable them to travel.”

Tanko added, “We are looking forward to this committee concluding its work so that the challenges relating to employment in Nigerian universities are addressed so that we can continue to provide the quality manpower we need for the development of this country.”

(Punch)