Civil servants involved in exam malpractice handed over to DSS – Olaopa
The Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC), Professor Tunji Olaopa, has disclosed that civil servants involved in malpractices during the 2024 promotion examinations have been handed over to the Department of State Services (DSS) for prosecution.
Olaopa made this known on Wednesday while declaring open a training programme for senior commission personnel in Nasarawa State. He said the action marks the beginning of efforts to clean up the civil service and restore meritocracy.
According to him, the practice of “cash and carry” in the civil service—where recruitment and promotions were influenced by bribes—is being dismantled. He added that candidates who hired proxies to sit for their exams have also been reported to the authorities.
“The era of ‘cash and carry’ in federal civil service recruitment and promotion is over. No one involved in corrupt practices will be spared,” he said.
The FCSC chairman outlined a three-phase Repositioning Plan to reform the commission. The first phase addresses integrity and discipline, while the second phase focuses on digitizing recruitment and promotion processes, including the use of computer-based tests in 15 centres nationwide.
He also acknowledged the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation for supporting the implementation of an electronic management system, which forms part of the ongoing digital transformation at the commission.
The third phase of the reform aligns with broader federal civil service reforms, including the rollout of a performance management system and the professionalization of human resource functions to ensure competency-based practices.
Speaking on the training programme, Olaopa urged participants to embrace change and professional development, noting that training will now be linked to performance management. “Be prepared, and do not stand in the way of change—it will be dangerous,” he warned.
