Farida Dankaka: FCC chairwoman accused of selling jobs in dollars

Commissioners in the Federal Character Commission (FCC) have accused the commission’s Chairwoman, Mrs. Farida Dankaka, of engaging in the unethical practice of “selling jobs” within Federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) for dollars. The allegations were brought to light during an investigation by the House of Representatives Ad hoc committee in Abuja, focusing on employment racketeering in MDAs and Tertiary Institutions.

Among the commissioners making the allegations are Mr. Abdulrasaq Adeoye, representing Osun; Mr. James Dan’iya, representing Kwara; Abdulwasiu Bawa-Allah, representing Lagos State; Mr. Moses Anaughe, representing Delta; Mr. Mamman Alakayi, representing Nasarawa, and others.

The commissioners claim that Dankaka collaborated with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to suppress a petition filed against her regarding job racketeering. According to the allegations, job seekers are required to pay significant sums of money, ranging from N750,000 to N7 million, depending on the MDAs where the jobs are sought. These payments are then transferred into the main account at Access Bank.

Moreover, the commissioners accuse the chairwoman of favoring her son by moving him from one lucrative agency to another.

In response to the allegations, Dankaka asserts that her fight against corruption has led to this backlash. She denies any involvement in the corrupt practices and states that she came to serve her country and not for financial gain. Dankaka claims that the accusations are motivated by some commissioners’ desire for money and reveals that before taking office in July 2020, all the commissioners were involved in selling jobs, but she refused to partake in such activities, leading to their resentment.

She cites an instance involving the commissioner representing Osun, who allegedly bought property using job slots as payment, prompting Dankaka to inform MDAs not to accept any letter from commissioners without her signature.

Regarding the EFCC’s involvement, Dankaka clarifies that the agency was merely hiring personnel with approval, and she did not compromise in any way.

The chairman of the investigating committee, Rep Gagdi Yusuf, emphasizes that they will remain impartial and focused on carrying out their duties without getting involved in agency politics. He also raises concerns about the alleged missing documents related to the commission’s employment activities.