Reps to probe age falsification in MDAs

The House of Representatives has declared its intention to probe the activities of Anti-Corruption Transparency Units across all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies in the country, in relation to age falsification among civil servants.

The resolution followed the adoption of two separate motions during Thursday’s plenary session.

This is as the House presided over by the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, urged its committees on Public Service Matters, Special Duties, Federal Character, and National Planning and Economic Development to invite the Head of Service of the Federation to provide comprehensive details of all civil servants assigned to the MDAs for verification, to identify potential culprits.

The committees are also to investigate the report of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

While moving to the motion to investigate the anti-corruption units, Shehu Umar Ajilo (PDP, Kaduna) recalled that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission requested the establishment of an Anti-Corruption Transparency Unit, popularly referred to as ACTU, in all MDAs to assist in the fight against corruption.

He recalled that on October 2, 2001, and April 16, 2003, two circulars were issued for the establishment and funding of the units, respectively, adding that another circular was issued on October 5, 2016, re-emphasising both the establishment and funding of the units in all MDAs.

In his words, the ACTUs in each organisation are expected to operate as an autonomous outfit in which its independence and protection should be guaranteed.

He added that the unit ought to be the watchdog or an anti-corruption division charged with the mandate of monitoring the activities of Federal Government MDAs and reporting any matter regarded as a corrupt practice to the ICPC for further action.

“The House is worried that despite these circulars and efforts, corrupt practices persist in most MDAs and, if not checked, corruption will continue forever,” he said.

Similarly, Yusuf Badau (APC, Kano) said the primary responsibility of the legislative arm of government in Nigeria was to monitor and investigate violations of laws enacted by it, which include matters about age falsification and others related to public service in Nigeria.

He further noted that in the last quarter of 2024, the National Bureau of Statistics report indicated that the unemployment rate had gone up by as much as 5.3 per cent, making Nigeria one of the countries with the highest number of unemployed population in the world.