The House of Representatives Adhoc Committee investigating the controversial retirement of over 1,000 Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) staff has expressed its readiness to enforce compliance from all invited parties, including the CBN Governor, Mr. Yemi Cardoso, and the Labour and Employment Minister, Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi, who failed to appear before the committee.
The committee chairman, Hon. Bello Kumo, who is also the Chief Whip of the House, issued the warning at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja. He emphasized that the committee would not hesitate to sanction any government official who fails to honor future invitations, stressing the importance of cooperation in resolving the matter.
“We are guided by our laws. We will not allow anybody to take us for granted,” Kumo said. “Any day we fix again, and any of the organizations refuse to show up, we will apply the law.”
The hearing, which was rescheduled to Thursday due to the 2025 budget presentation by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, had representatives of the Federal Character Commission in attendance. Kumo applauded their compliance but criticized the absences of key officials whose input is crucial to the probe.
Earlier, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr. Tajudeen Abbas, underscored the significance of the investigation, highlighting the broad impact of the CBN’s decision on the affected workers, their families, and the nation. He urged the committee to thoroughly review the formula used to compute the N50 billion severance package and ensure adherence to global best practices and legal provisions.
The committee has pledged to uphold transparency and fairness in its proceedings and promised to communicate a new hearing date to all stakeholders involved.