The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) says it has cancelled a 2015 recruitment exercise conducted by the government agency due to “budgetary constraints.”

According to the IT implementing agency, the cancellation was necessitated due to budgetary constraints and non-adherence to the due process for such an exercise.

“This is to inform the general public of the cancellation of the 2015 recruitment exercise of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) involving 245/368 candidates,” NITDA announced on its website.

According to the IT implementing agency, “the cancellation was made on the 8th of August, 2016, which is 49 days before the appointment of the substantive Director General of the Agency Dr. Ali Ibrahim (Pantami). However, this was delayed due to some procedures,” the Agency adds

According to NITDA, The Federal Character Commission has also since the 8th of August in a letter Ref. No. FSS/055/S.42/Vol.II/232 withdrawn the certificate of compliance for the process due to alleged abnormalities with the recruitments.

The Agency promised that future recruitment exercise will be conducted in line with the relevant guidelines in the Public Service. However, it says qualified candidates among “245/368” group would be given opportunity to participate in the process.

Meanwhile, the Agency while regretting the inconveniences the cancellation may have caused, also revealed its plans to support the affected candidates through Capacity Building and IT Training in the area of Start-up and IT entrepreneurship.

Dr. Ali Ibrahim Pantami was appointed substantive Director General of NITDA in September to replace Dr. Vincent Olatunji who was leading the Agency in acting capacity after Peter Jack, former boss at the IT implementing agency.