ECOWAS Parliament suspends controversial staff recruitment exercise

Speaker of the Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Dr. Sidie Mohamed Tunis, has ordered the immediate suspension of staff recruitment and set up a panel to investigate alleged malpractices in the recruitment process.

Dr. Tunis gave the directive in a statement by the parliament’s communications division, suspending the process following allegations by the Nigerian delegation at the parliament that the country’s candidates were marginalised in the recruitment.

The Nigerian representation to the bloc had threatened to withdraw its membership as its citizens were margininalised at the parliament in employment and promotions.

The speaker had received written complaints from the First Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Idris Wase, and Nigeria’s permanent representative to the ECOWAS Commission, Musa Sani Nuhu.

According to the statement, the work of the eight-man independent ad hoc investigation committee will start this month, with its findings expected within a week.

It added that a bureau meeting would be convened immediately to consider the report for onward submission to the plenary.

The Ad hoc Committee is headed by Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, Chairman of the Committee on Administration, Finance, and Budget of the regional parliament.

Other committee members include Lynda Chuba Ikpeazu from Nigeria, Fatoumatta Njai from the Gambia, Amadou Djibo Ali from Niger, Kounon Nahou Agbandao from Togo, Caramo Camara from Guinea Bissau, Moussokora Chantal Fanny from Cote d’ Ivoire and Arboncana Oumarou Dicko.

“The terms of reference of the ad hoc committee shall be as follows: investigate allegations of inappropriate conduct in the ongoing recruitment process at the ECOWAS Parliament; investigate allegations of marginalisation of Nigerian candidates in the current recruitment process; investigate and determine if indeed the plenary adopted any resolution concerning the subject matter (recruitment of staff), using normal parliamentary procedure,” the statement added.

It stressed that in executing its mandate, the committee should be granted access to all documents relating to the recruitment exercise and work with the Advisory Committee on Recruitment and Promotions at the ECOWAS Parliament to under-study and review the exercise.

“The ad hoc committee would be guided by the provisions of the Supplementary Act and the ECOWAS Staff Regulations,” the institution said.

Only last week, controversy had engulfed the ECOWAS Parliament following an allegation of recruitment irregularities leveled against it by its Nigerian MPs, who also threatened to pull out of the Parliament alleging that Nigerians were being shortchanged in its recruitment exercise.

The Nigerian legislators further threatened to withdraw the country’s membership of the regional bloc if it the body refused to suspend the ongoing recruitment exercise as recently directed in the 2022 First Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament in Abuja.

However, the Parliament debunked allegations, describing it as ‘a misrepresentation.’

Leader of the Liberian Delegation at the Parliament, Sen. Edwin Snowe, who refuted the allegation, while speaking with the Parliamentary correspondents on Sunday in Abuja, said it was ‘a misrepresentation’ of the real issues by the Nigerian delegation, stressing that the recruitment process at the Parliament was competitive.

Nigerian representatives at the Parliament issued the threat when some principal officers in the regional bloc allegedly defied the directives and embarked on the illegal process of recruiting their relatives and cronies.

The lawmakers cite the huge financial commitments which Nigeria makes to the body amid its internal security challenges.

They alleged that there was no commensurate return on investment for Nigeria in ECOWAS for all the country has done and is doing for the region from its inception in 1975.

Snowe added further that the Nigeria delegation which raised the allegations ‘was filibustering to impress Nigerians so as to canvass for votes ahead of the 2023 general elections in Nigeria.’

“Recruitment into the ECOWAS institutions is very competitive and cannot shortchange any country let alone Nigeria that has made invaluable contributions to the development of the community.

“There was no resolution reached at the plenary to suspend recruitment into the P5 positions as is being insinuated by Nigerian legislators. Nigerians are adequately represented in ECOWAS Parliament and other institutions of the community,” Snowe said.

Snowe had also insisted that the report of a resolution to suspend the recruitment process was not true, as he explained that a motion was entertained by the First Deputy Speaker who was the presiding officer on the issues raised by Nigerian lawmakers on Nigerians being shortchanged.

Snowe said the issue of recruitment was being handled by a Nigerian firm contracted by the Community to take applications and shortlist successful citizens of the sub-region for interview and wondered why Nigerian lawmakers are crying foul.

He added that the matter was referred to the Bureau for further action, adding that it does not constitutes a resolution to suspend the process as the whole community activities could not be stopped because some lawmakers from a member country raised issues.

“There was no vote taken on this matter, two Nigerian lawmakers raised the issue about the recruitment process.

“There was this staff skill audit that was done at ECOWAS and the results came out not too favorable to some of the staff occupying certain positions. So, the lawmakers linked the staff skill audit debate to the recruitment process.

“But the Deputy Speaker asked the Bureau to take seize of the matter and investigate it and get back to the Parliament’s Plenary at the earliest possible time.

“There was no vote taken because resolution at Parliament is based on vote”, Snowe further explained.

Snowe said that apart from the P1 to P3 positions which were junior cadre, there was no record of recruitment into the P5 positions, which was the bone of contention, as no decision had been reached on it.

He further explained that the recruitment for the P5 position was within the jurisdiction of the Management Succession Committee (MSC) of the ECOWAS Commission which was chaired by the President of the Commission.

He pointed out that the regional bloc recognised the immense contributions of Nigeria and had taken steps to give Nigeria adequate representation in ECOWAS institutions.

“At the Parliament as I speak to you, there are 73 staff members and 35 of them are Nigerians.

“We breached the Rule of Procedure, we breached the Supplementary Act and gave Nigeria a deserving platform at the Parliament.

“This consideration made is not out of weakness, it is out of our own appreciation for the role Nigeria has played in our sub-region.

“For Example at the Authority of Heads of State and Government the chairmanship is rotational. At the Parliament, the Speakership is rotational on alphabetical order.

“But on our own, outside the Protocol – the Supplementary Act of the Parliament, outside our standing rule, we have agreed that when Nigeria is not chairing as Speaker, Nigeria should always serve as First Deputy Speaker even when there is no rule that supports that.

“Each country has a committee chair at the Parliament currently with the exception of Guinea Bissau.

“We also said that because of Nigeria’s magnanimity we have given Nigeria two committee chairmen positions because of our respect for what tax payers’ money has done for the region.

“Nigeria permanently chairs the Finance Committee and another committee in addition to the First Deputy Speaker when Nigeria is not serving as Speaker,” Snowe noted.

He cautioned the Nigerian lawmakers not to cast unnecessary aspersions on the Parliament and its Speaker Sidie Tunis by misrepresenting of facts.

“ECOWAS was founded on solidarity, there is nothing that makes might right in the community. The Nigerian delegation questioning the recruitment process is misrepresenting the decisions that emanate from the plenary.

“I understand that our brothers are going for election and sometimes they filibustering because they want the vote and support of their constituencies to feel that they represent Nigeria’s interest at the Parliament.

“But we will not allow the Parliament to be used as a stepping stone for the reelection of politicians,” Snowe added.