Abuja: The House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions has adjourned the hearing on a petition concerning promotion-related administrative issues in the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA) to March 11, 2026. The adjournment is intended to allow the parties to explore Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) as a means to achieve an amicable settlement of the dispute.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the petition was filed by Mr. Abdulhadi Abdullahi, a Deputy General Manager (Legal) with the National Institute of Radiation Protection and Research (NIRPR), a technical service organization to the NNRA. The petition, numbered 732 of 2025, seeks the intervention of the committee over the outcome of the 2020 NNRA Committee on Regularisation of Appointment and Staff Audit, as well as issues relating to prolonged promotion stagnation. It also raises concerns over salary-related matters, workplace treatment, and disciplinary procedures affecting the petitioner.
Deputy Chairman of the committee, Rep. Attorney Nwogu, emphasized the need for a pragmatic resolution, urging both parties to avoid protracted administrative disputes that could affect careers and institutional harmony. Nwogu stated that governance must be continuous and that officers should not be adversely affected by procedural gaps beyond their control, particularly where supervising officers had retired or administrative structures had changed. He assured the committee’s commitment to ensuring that no party was unduly disadvantaged and that a fair and equitable resolution was achieved.
Following deliberations, the committee proposed ADR as the most viable means of resolving the dispute, a suggestion accepted by the parties. Consequently, the committee adjourned the matter to March 11, 2026, to enable the parties to engage ADR mechanisms with a view to an amicable settlement. The committee also reiterated its commitment to protecting the constitutional right of citizens and public officers to petition the National Assembly without fear of intimidation or administrative sanctions.
In his submission, Abdullahi stated that disciplinary measures were initiated against him after his appearance before the committee at an earlier public hearing on December 9, 2025. He mentioned that the measures included a query issued on January 5, 2026, his response dated January 6, a warning letter dated January 8, followed by the constitution of a disciplinary panel.
Deliberations at the hearing also focused on issues surrounding the petitioner’s Annual Performance Evaluation Report (APER). Abdullahi claimed he submitted his APER during his promotion year, but that the assessment process was not concluded, adding that documentary evidence and email correspondence had been presented to the committee. He noted that responsibility for the assessment lay with the supervising directorate at the relevant time, highlighting that his former supervisor had retired.
Representatives of the NNRA and affiliated agencies, who appeared on behalf of the Director-General, stated that administrative procedures required proper supervisory assessment of APERs and acknowledged that gaps existed in the evaluation process.