The controversy surrounding the alleged Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) took a new turn on Wednesday after the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation admitted that proper checks were not carried out before recruitment approvals linked to the organisation were granted. The disclosure was made during the ongoing House of Representatives investigation into the agency. (punchng.com)
The Head of Service, Didi Walson-Jack, told lawmakers that her office acted on documents presented by the organisation without carrying out independent verification to establish whether they were genuine before processing the approvals.
She explained that officials believed the documents were authentic because they appeared to have originated from recognised government channels, adding that the office had no reason at the time to suspect any irregularity.
According to her, the experience has exposed weaknesses in the approval process and highlighted the need for stricter verification procedures before official documents are acted upon by government agencies.
The House committee questioned how an organisation now under investigation was able to obtain recruitment approvals and other official recognitions despite growing concerns about its legal status.
Lawmakers said the admission further strengthened the need for a thorough investigation into everyone involved in the establishment and operation of the controversial agency.
The committee also indicated that additional government officials may be invited as the probe continues to determine whether forged documents were used to secure approvals from various federal institutions.
The PFIPC investigation has attracted nationwide attention following allegations that the organisation operated without proper legal backing while obtaining official recognition and government approvals from several public institutions.