‘We Were Receiving Salaries For Ghost Work,’ FCC Staff Tell Reps

The House of Representatives is continuing its probe into the activities of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), but like an onion, the more you peel, the more secrets unfold, and the messier it gets for FCC boss, Dankaka. 

One cannot help but wonder what the agency represents if it has no other character, but that of corruption. 

On Monday 14 persons told the House of Representatives committee investigating job racketeering at the Federal Character Commission, FCC, that the commission was paying them salaries without job placements.

They said the salaries came through the platform of the Federal Government’s Integrated Payroll and Personal Information System, IPPIS.

They also told the committee that the salaries were paid into a bank account belonging to Haruna Kolo, former FCC’s IPPIS Desk Officer and Chief of Protocol to the FCC Chairman, Farida Dankaka.

One of them, Gbadamosi Jalo, said Mr Kolo took him to the IPPIS office and registered him on its portal and that he had been receiving salaries since then.

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He said he had not been assigned to any government ministry, department or agency, though he received an appointment letter supposedly issued by the National Institute of Oceanography.

Dankaka Gets Fingered

He said he paid some money to Mr Kolo to get the consideration and that Mr Kolo told him that the money he paid was received on behalf of the FCC chairperson.

Mr Jalo said one Gambo Yisha’u, driver to the Commissioner representing Taraba at the FCC also confirmed to him that such money ended up with Mrs. Dankaka.

Twelve other witnesses made similar submissions, alleging that they paid money to Mr Kolo, but had not been posted to any ministry, department or agency of government.

In his testimony, a potential beneficiary of the racket, Musa Ibrahim, said he paid to one Abdullahi Azareh, who acted as the linkman to FCC commissioner representing Nasarawa State.

Also, he told the lawmakers that though the police in Nasarawa State arrested Azareh after a barrage of complaints and petitions, he was released upon intervention by FCC commissioners.

“We are victims of circumstances; the guy was arrested and detained for few hours because he was working with the commissioner representing Nasarawa State at the FCC,’’ he said.