The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited is engulfed in a fresh crisis over the secret recruitment of new employees without recourse to extant guidelines.
This was contained in a report issued on Wednesday by SaharaReporters with sources revealing that the new recruits were more than 200.
The recruitment was allegedly done between January and February 2023 by the Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari in contravention of the due process for conducting recruitments into Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) as established by the Nigerian Government.
Most of those who benefited from the secretive process included children of personal aides and ministers of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Other beneficiaries of the crooked process were family members of senior government officials, lawmakers, and serving and past governors.
Topping the list are the children and relatives of the Personal Assistant on Domestic Affairs to Ex-President Buhari, Sarki Abba.
The report also revealed that the exercise was lopsided in favour of certain sections of the country contrary to the provisions of the federal character.
The recruitments have drawn widespread condemnations from the staff of the agency who alleged the newly recruited persons were positioned over them.
An employee of NNPC said;
Over 200 people were secretly recruited here in NNPC to the position of Deputy Manager and Manager without following due process. The Group CEO of NNPC, Mele Kyari secretly recruited these people who are children of top politicians in the former administration without following the laid down rule which is against the public service act.
Kyari unilaterally handed employment letters to these individuals without any competency aptitude test or interview, they are all children of top politicians of the Buhari’s administration and children of friends and family members.
Many staff members of NNPC are not happy with the way the company is being managed by Kyari, so we are calling on President Bola Tinubu and relevant authorities to revoke the appointment letters and due process should be followed.
Garba Deen Muhammad, Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC confirmed the secret recruitment process.
He, however, told SaharaReporters that only a few people were employed.
As a CAMA company we conduct our activities based on business needs and we are not obliged to follow dictates other than what serves our business needs and in accordance with our vision, mission and values.
Thus as a matter of exigency, NNPC resorted to headhunting. Based on specific skill needs, the company employed a few people (about 20). NNPC did not employ 200 as you mentioned.
