A former Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) desk officer at the Federal Character Commission, Haruna Kolo, on Monday, owned up to the allegations of collecting money from job seekers in exchange for employment.
This is just as he admitted to having received over N75m from desperate job seekers on the instructions of the Chairman of the FCC
Additionally, Kolo claimed that the FCC boss instructed him to transfer all the money to his (Kolo) personal Ecobank account and pay her in cash which he did a couple of times in her house.
Kolo made the revelation at the ongoing investigative hearing by the House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies, parastatals, and tertiary institutions on mismanagement of the IPPIS.
The ex-IPPIS desk officer told the lawmakers that he resigned from the FCC on November 2, 2022 to join the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria but ended up getting salaries twice from the FCC. He added that the anomaly was reported to the Human Resources Officer who told him that the issue would be addressed.
He said, “When she came to the FCC as the Executive Chairman, she appointed me as a protocol officer and I carried out my duties diligently.
“On the allegations of job racketeering, the FCC Chairman instructed me to liaise with one Mr Shehu who is a personal driver and Personal Assistant to the Taraba State Commissioner. As a desk officer, I am responsible to take whoever is employed to IPPIS for capturing. No one can go there without a letter from the Chairman or Human Resources officer of the FCC.
“When she came, she wrote a letter to the Accountant General of the Federation instructing that no letter from the FCC should be honored except she signs the letter. So, whenever there was a new employment, she would sign, give to me and I take it to the Accountant General’s office for capturing.
“Shehu is the one that brought those who paid money to my account for job, some paid N1m, others N1.5 m, all to my personal account, my Ecobank account. She asked me to give cash to her which I did through POS so there is no evidence of transfer or anything.
“On the allegation of working at seven places, I was never at any time involved in seven jobs. They are making the allegation based on assumption.”
He continued, “The second allegation on my subsequent employment at AMCOM was a result of her personal favour to me. We were four in number, and she gave the appointment letter to me, Kadijah, and Olushola. We all proceeded for an interview at AMCON headquarters in Abuja after which we were called upon for training on January 16, 2023.
After the training, I and Olushola were called to Lagos. Unfortunately, Kadijah who is the Chairman’s biological sister was rejected. The Chairman accused me of being responsible for her rejection.
“I see no reason why (sic) the chairperson would make allegations of such magnitude against me. I have been threatened even at gunpoint and had to leave Abuja.
“Sir, I want this committee to know that after this sitting, if anything happens to me, the FCC chairperson should be held responsible, ” Kolo added.
Responding, Chairman of the committee, Yusuf Gagdi, promised to do every possible to unravel the truth and make the same available to Nigerians.
“This committee will not sit down and watch taxpayers’ money being embezzled but this committee too will be very careful in indicting the future of people.
“I know why we were asking Kolo to give us evidence and we know why we were deferring this sitting for other witnesses alleged to have had financial dealings with the FCC.
“Kolo will appear here tomorrow (Tuesday). We are calling the other witnesses. We will allow you to do your work. Whoever that is found wanting will answer his father’s name, including Kolo Haruna.
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“Kolo, I am not saying anything will happen to you but by law, you are not supposed to leave here without being arrested. For a civil servant that has thirty-something million in his account and admitted publicly of serving as a front to aid corruption is unacceptable.
“I don’t want to take you up on that because we don’t want to be seen to be sentimental. We want to as much as possible, get evidence against you and against others.
“God will save you and God will save us all. Nothing will happen to you because anybody that wants to harm you knows that if they harm you, we have to suspect them.”
The committee adjourned sitting to Tuesday, August 8, in continuation of the hearing,
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