Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sent an open<\/p>\n
letter to Mr Godwin Emefiele, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria
\n(CBN), requesting him to \u201cimmediately withdraw hundreds of letters of
\nemployment issued following a seriously flawed recruitment process and to
\nput in place a system of recruitment and hiring based on the principles of
\nnon-discrimination, transparency, participation and objective criteria
\nsuch as merit, equity and aptitude.\u201d
\nThe group warned that \u201cShould Mr Emefiele and the CBN fail and\/or neglect
\nto act as requested within 14 days of the receipt and\/or publication of
\nthis letter, the Registered Trustees of SERAP shall take appropriate legal
\naction to ensure effective remedies for millions of Nigerians that have
\nbeen denied equal opportunity to participate in the recruitment process.
\nAnd this may be without further notice to you.\u201d
\nThe letter dated 18 March 2016 and signed by SERAP executive director
\nAdetokunbo Mumuni reads in part: \u201cThis corrupt process amounts to a
\nfundamental breach of constitutionally and internationally recognized
\nhuman rights of millions of Nigerians particularly the right to equality
\nand non-discrimination, to work and to human dignity.\u201d
\n\u201cInstead of the CBN promoting equality of opportunity and access to
\nemployment for all Nigerians, it has perpetrated discrimination, and
\ntherefore denied an opportunity for economic self‑reliance and in
\nmany cases a means for millions of Nigerians to escape poverty and live a
\nlife of dignity.\u201d
\n\u201cThe process also directly breaches article 7 of the UN Convention against
\nCorruption which Nigeria has ratified. Article 7 requires institutions
\nlike the CBN to adopt, maintain and strengthen systems for the recruitment
\nand hiring of civil servants that are based on principles of transparency
\nand objective criteria such as merit, equity and aptitude.\u201d
\n\u201cSERAP believes that by the secret recruitment, millions of otherwise
\nqualified Nigerians have been treated less favourably than the children of
\nthe politically and economically connected. This differential treatment is
\narbitrary and cannot be reasonably and objectively justified. It can in
\nfact result in pervasive discrimination, stigmatization and negative
\nstereotyping. The secret recruitment also offends the requirement for
\nNigeria to make the labour market open to everyone in the country.\u201d
\n\u201cSERAP notes that non-discrimination and equality are essential for the
\nexercise and enjoyment of other constitutionally and internationally
\nrecognized human rights, as well as equal and effective protection before
\nand of the law. We also remind you that every Nigerian has the right to be
\nable to work, allowing him\/her to live in dignity.\u201d
\n\u201cSERAP is seriously concerned that the secret recruitment unfairly
\ndeprives millions of Nigerians the right to work, impermissibly limiting
\ntheir freedom regarding the choice to work, and undermining their personal
\ndevelopment and social and economic inclusion. While the right to work is
\nnot an absolute and unconditional right to obtain employment, it implies
\nthe right of access to a system of protection guaranteeing every eligible
\nNigerian access to employment, and the right not to be unfairly deprived
\nof employment.\u201d
\n\u201cThe secret recruitment has therefore impaired and nullified the exercise
\nof the rights of Nigerians, especially disadvantaged and marginalized
\nindividuals and groups to human dignity, equality and non-discrimination.\u201d
\n\u201cFurthermore, the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended) provides in
\nsection 42 that a citizen of Nigeria of a particular group shall not, by
\nreason only that he is such a person: a) be subjected to disabilities or
\nrestrictions to which citizens of Nigeria of other groups are not made
\nsubject; or be accorded any privilege or advantage that is not accorded to
\nall citizens of Nigeria.\u201d
\n\u201cSection 16(2) provides that the economic system will not be operated in
\nsuch a manner as to permit the concentration of wealth or means of
\nproduction and exchange in the hands of few individuals or of a group,
\nsuch as the politically and economically connected or their children.”
\n“Section 17 provides that the state social order is founded on ideals of
\nfreedom, equality and justice. Subsection (3) of the same section provides
\nthat the state shall direct its policy towards, ensuring that all citizens
\nwithout discrimination on any group whatever, have the opportunity for
\nsecuring adequate means of livelihood as well as adequate opportunity to
\nsecure suitable employment.\u201d
\n\u201cAccording to reports, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) carried out an
\nalleged secret recruitment of over 900 employees on your directive and
\nunder your supervision. Many of the beneficiaries are said to be children
\nand relatives of the politically and economically connected. Our
\ninformation suggests that there were no prior notifications on the
\nrecruitment through advertisements to give all Nigerians the opportunity
\nto participate.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sent an open letter to Mr Godwin Emefiele, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), requesting him to \u201cimmediately withdraw hundreds of…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":19332,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-47700","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\n