PSC chairman calls for transparency in recruitment process

The Chairman of the Police Service Commission, DIG Hashimu Argungu (rtd), has called for proper and clearly defined background checks in the recruitment process for the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to ensure that the right candidates are selected and given opportunities to contribute to nation-building.

This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday by the Spokesperson of the Commission, Mr. Ikechukwu Ani.

According to the statement, Argungu made this call while speaking at the 6th edition of the Commission’s “Arena of Knowledge” weekly lecture series in Abuja.

The statement highlighted the PSC Chairman’s view that getting the right people into positions within the nation’s bureaucracy is not easy and requires an effective intake process in which individuals’ skills and knowledge are matched with job demands.

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He further declared that recruitment needs planning to meet objectives such as acquiring the best skills, ensuring proper jurisdiction, and maintaining a democratic process.

Argungu emphasized that successful recruitment would be difficult “if jobs are vaguely defined,” adding that “it is also necessary to search for and secure the right people with the right skills, in the right place, at the right time.”

Speaking on the topic “Hiring and Firing in the Public/Civil Service: Police Service Commission (PSC) Employment and Recruitment Template, Process and Practices,” Argungu stated that background checks for applicants should include verification of schools attended, previous employment, criminal convictions, and public records such as birth, marriage, and divorce documents, among others.

He added that appointments into all grades in Government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies should be based on actual needs.

Also speaking on the same topic at the Arena of Knowledge lecture series, Mr. Sunday Abutu Garuba, Assistant Director in the Department of Human Resource Management in the Commission, stressed that hiring and firing in the public service are critical processes that require adherence to established rules, regulations, and guidelines.

Mr. Garuba noted that “the Public Service Rules (PSR) provide a framework for ensuring merit, transparency, and fairness in the selection and management of civil servants.”

He explained that “effective hiring practices attract top talents, while fair and just firing procedures maintain accountability and integrity in the Public Service.”

He concluded by pointing out that by following due process and upholding the principles of public service, “we can build a competent, efficient, and responsive civil service that serves the nation with integrity and excellence.”