Senate To Investigate NNPCL, NUPRC, Others Over Alleged Bias In Appointments

The Senate has launched an investigation into alleged violations of the federal character principle in appointments, promotions, and recruitment across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), with a particular focus on the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and other key institutions.

Naijaonpoint reports that this decision followed a motion by Senator Osita Ngwu, who raised concerns about systemic inequalities in Nigeria’s public service, including limited job opportunities, promotions based on tenure rather than merit, and career stagnation for workers outside the public sector.

Lawmakers expressed dissatisfaction over the persistent imbalance in federal appointments despite constitutional provisions requiring equitable representation across ethnic, linguistic, religious, and regional lines.

The Senate specifically pointed to NNPCL, NUPRC, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), among others, as institutions allegedly failing to comply with federal character mandates in their recruitment processes.

To address these concerns, the Senate has mandated its Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs to conduct a thorough investigation and submit its findings within three months.

The committee is expected to recommend measures to ensure fairness in federal appointments, recruitment, promotions, and the distribution of infrastructure across the nation’s over 900 MDAs.