By Fatima Saka
Abuja, Nigeria – The Senate Committee on Federal Character and Intergovernmental Affairs, chaired by Senator Allwell Heacho Onyesoh, has taken the National Pension Commission (PenCom) to task over glaring disparities in staff recruitment and representation across the federation, insisting on full compliance with federal character principles in future exercises.
During an ongoing investigative hearing on Thursday in Abuja on compliance with the federal character principle by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), the committee raised strong concerns about the underrepresentation of certain states and geopolitical zones in PenCom’s staffing structure. The session was part of a broader review involving over 900 federal agencies.
Senator Onyesoh acknowledged some improvements but noted that much work remains. “It’s still a long walk,” he said, referencing the review’s early stages. “We have only looked at four or five agencies. But from what we’ve seen, some pluses exist, though minuses are evident too. We’re not here to witch-hunt. This Senate is a correctional Senate.”
The scrutiny intensified following data showing that states like Anambra had as many as 25 staff members in PenCom, while others such as Rivers and Cross River had only 10, raising questions about fairness. “Let there be proper balancing,” pleaded one senator, who disclosed that his own wife works with PenCom. “Some states are overrepresented, and others underrepresented. Let the next recruitment reflect equity.”
The new Director-General of PenCom, Ms. Omolola Bridget Oloworaran, who assumed office last year, was at the center of the dialogue. defended the commission’s current processes but admitted the imbalance. “Yes, the evidence is there. Employment in PenCom is not evenly represented. We will work to correct this in our next recruitment,” she said.
Ms. Oloworaran stressed that while the last major recruitment happened in 2021—before her tenure—PenCom has governance systems for performance management, hiring, and promotion that prioritize fairness and transparency. “We are blind to ethnicity or bias. But I take the feedback and commit to improving representational equity,” she added.
However, Senator Osita Ngwu, mover of the motion that triggered the probe, challenged the DG to confirm her understanding of the federal character principle. “No MDA so far has met the constitutional requirement. You must fix it,” he insisted.
Senator Onyesoh further underscored the seriousness of the exercise, warning that non-compliant recruitments may be cancelled. “Going forward, any appointment will be properly scrutinized during and after. This country must change,” he declared. “We’ve had enough of unequal representation. If PenCom or any agency continues on this path, there will be consequences.”
PenCom also faced questions about the location and equity in distribution of its zonal and state offices. Ms. Oloworaran explained that offices exist in each of the six geopolitical zones, but the committee demanded more details about capital expenditure distribution, insisting that inclusivity extends beyond human resources.
The committee requested full documentation of PenCom’s recruitment waivers, letters of compliance from the Federal Character Commission, and evidence of employment planning. They also asked for records of employee grievances and how those were resolved.
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In her closing remarks, Ms. Oloworaran reiterated PenCom’s commitment to fair representation and compliance with the federal character policy. “We will not continue with past mistakes. We will do what is right and lay a good precedent.”
Distinct News reports that the 10th Senate intensifies its oversight, PenCom and other agencies under scrutiny, will need to align their internal practices with the constitutional mandate for fairness, equality, and national cohesion. The committee’s review continues in the weeks ahead.
