Secret Recruitment: Withdraw Job Offers now or we’ll Sue you, SERAP Warns CBN

Secret Recruitment: Withdraw Job Offers now or we’ll Sue you, SERAP Warns CBN

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has reportedly sent a letter to Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, requesting him to “immediately withdraw hundreds of letters of employment issued following a seriously flawed recruitment process, and to put in place a system of recruitment and hiring based on the principles of non-discrimination, transparency, participation and objective criteria such as merit, equity and aptitude.”

The group warned that “Should Emefiele and the CBN fail and/or neglect to act as requested within 14 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter, the Registered Trustees of SERAP shall take appropriate legal action to ensure effective remedies for millions of Nigerians who have been denied equal opportunity to participate in the recruitment process. And this may be without further notice to you.”

The letter dated March 18, 2016, and signed by SERAP Executive Director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, read in part: “This corrupt process amounts to a fundamental breach of constitutionally and internationally recognised human rights of millions of Nigerians particularly the right to equality and non-discrimination to work and human dignity.

“Instead of the CBN to promote equality of opportunity and access to employment for all Nigerians, it has perpetrated discrimination, therefore denying an opportunity for economic self‑reliance and in many cases, a means for millions of Nigerians to escape poverty and live a life of dignity.

“The process also directly breaches article 7 of the United Nations Convention against   Corruption which Nigeria has ratified.”

SERAP further stated that: “Article seven requires institutions like the CBN to adopt, maintain and strengthen systems for the recruitment and hiring of civil servants that are based on principles of transparency and objective criteria such as merit, equity and aptitude.

“We believes that by the secret recruitment, millions of otherwise qualified Nigerians have been treated less favourably than the children of the politically and economically connected. This differential treatment is arbitrary and cannot be reasonably and objectively justified. It can in fact result in pervasive discrimination, stigmatisation and negative stereotyping.

“The secret recruitment also offends the requirement for Nigeria to make the labour market open to everyone in the country.”

“SERAP notes that non-discrimination and equality are essential for the exercise and enjoyment of other constitutionally and internationally recognised human rights, as well as equal and effective protection before and of the law."