FAAN in recruitment scandal

Shola Adekola, Lagos - 27.11.2007

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) is in a scandal over the recruitment of 62 unqualified aviation security workers. The case, which has been reported to the National Assembly through a petition filed by the security firm that was engaged to help the authority in the recruitment of 500 security workers, may lead to the sack of many top officers found to have aided the corrupt practice.

In the petition to the Chairman, House Committee on Aviation, dated October 20, 2007, the Lagos-based security company said an advertisement emanated from the FAAN listing 211 names of newly recruited aviation officers and naming the security company as the consultant that had conducted aptitude test and interviewed all the candidates.

According to the security firm in the petition,”on the contrary, we have observed from our records that about 62 names listed on the publication did not write the aptitude test and are not in any of the report sent to FAAN.”

The company disclosed how it was contracted by the FAAN in August 2006 to recruit 500 aviation security officers for it from a total of 25,000 applicants into relevant posts, including 150 security officers, 30 security patrolmen, eight bomb disposal officers, 13 communication and duty office operators, two Physical Education instructors, two drill instructors and 25 drivers.

It said the process of selection adopted included the initial shortlisting of about 5,000 candidates for the aptitude test. About 3,000 of this number, the company said, were present at the four centres where the aptitude test was conducted.

“At the end of this phase, 1,183 candidates were successful and were subsequently invited for interview in Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Minna and Kano,” it said.