Nigerians have reacted angrily as a lady with no work experience was appointed as a member of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) board.
Born Hannatu Muhammed in Dutse, Jigawa state, the Pharmacy graduate from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria turned 27 on 20 March 2019.
According to the ICPC website, Ms. Muhammed is presently undertaking her Masters in Business Administration, MBA (Human Resource) – in view.
On Twitter, Nigerians vented their anger at her appointment claiming she does not have the experience to hold such a position.
However, the ICPC Act allows the commission to appoint a young person to its board.
According to Section 3(3) of the ICPC Act 2000, the Membership of the Board is drawn from the following categories of Nigerians, and the Act requires that a young person not less than 21 and not more than 30 years must be in the Board.
On Twitter, they were having none of it as they saw her appointment as yet another illegal act.
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NigeriasBest reacted to her appointment like this, “I wonder whose child they are protecting. So many intellectuals arguing that the ICPC appointment is not illegal as if that’s the point. Hopefully the family background will be revealed,” he tweeted.
“Interested in the requirement for joining the board of ICPC. Suprised a 27 year old who hasn’t had any solid experience makes the cut. Criteria for selection?” Ogbeni Dipo wrote on Twitter.
Olagunju Oladele took a different tilt. “Being a woman shouldn’t be a qualification for anything but competence or age brackets as stated. This ICPC Act shows the system doesn’t believe a woman can get any of the qualification, so they had to make a special feature for women Who writes our laws? The Iceberg of ignorance,” he tweeted.
Muhammad Waziri said he was not bothered about the age but her profession. “Oga Bashir, its not about the age but about what she studied. Pharmacist appointed at ICPC board. Allah ya sa mu dace,” he argued.
In her defence, Dr Joe Abah said there was nothing wrong with her appointment. “Anybody above the age of 21 and below the age of 30 can be an ICPC Board Member. Even a Youth Corper, a completely illiterate apprentice mechanic or a “Househelp”. They are on the board to represent the youth. That’s what the lCPC Act says,” he tweeted.
The Personal Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on New Media, Bashir Ahmad also waded in, stating that the ICPC Act has stipulated that her appointment is in order.
Her working experience is sparse as she only completed her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in 2016. In her Resume, she had a teaching internship at El-Amin International School Abuja. Three years later, she had her Industrial Attachment (IT) SIWES Program at H-Medix Pharmacy and Stores in Abuja.
She then proceeded to do her pharmacy internship at the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) between 2014 and 2015.
During her time at NAFDAC, she worked in the pharmacovigilance and post-marketing surveillance unit, ports inspection directorate, technical service directorate as well as the drug evaluation and research directorates.
In 2015, she served in the Independent National Electoral Commission Clinic during her NYSC.
Shortly after, she proceeded to the Orphans and women support Foundation (OWSF) where she worked as a Volunteer Pharmacist.
Her last working experience was at Green Forest Pharmacy between 2017 and 2018 as Superintendent Pharmacist in charge of all pharmacy activities including procurement from the pharmaceutical market and company representatives, inventory taking and staff management.
