NAN-H-138
Policy
Kaduna, March 1, 2017 (NAN) Mr Lawrence Ekhaiakhu, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Public Administration, Kaduna Polytechnic, has urged the Federal Character Commission to redress the lopsidedness in employment of federal establishments.
He also advised the commission to station desk officers in all federal ministries, department and agencies(MDAs) to monitor recruitment exercise in compliance to the policy.
Ekhaiakhu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna on Wednesday that the principle along the line was subjected to abuse even though it worked perfectly well when it was introduced.
According to him, the policy has largely helped to create a mini Nigeria in federal establishment with representations of different ethnic groups.
“The principle states that every state should be represented in federal establishment, but currently, you found that some states dominate some agencies.
“The heads of the establishments employs their kinsmen, their relations and their loyalists; favouring either their ethnic group or religion.
“This abuse was responsible for the lopsidedness in the employment of federal establishments, ” he said.
In Kano, the Chairman of State chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) Alhaji Kabiru Minjibir emphsised the need for proper implementation of the policy in the country.
Minjibir told NAN that the greatest challenge facing the policy is how to use it to enhance national integration though it is yet the most realistic strategy that can ensure unity.
it was only through effective implementation of the principle that the country will achieve national integration.
“The composition of the Government of the Federation or any of its agencies should be carried out to reflect the federal character of Nigeria, in order to promote national unity and command loyalty,” he said.
He noted that there was no clear attempt by the commission to ensure checks and balances as embedded in the original concept.
Minjibir maitained that unity cannot be achieved where the policy discriminates against one group and favours another.
The chairman noted that Nigerians have over the years, given every government the right to govern hoping that things will be expediently done.
“But many failed because they violated the cardinal principle in governing a complex society like Nigeria.”
He, however, said in spite of the shortcomings of the policy, the country cannot afford to jettison it.
“Nigeria can achieve inclusiveness and equity in governance without sacrificing efficiency and merit in service delivery,” he added.
Malam Garba Usman, the Head of Administration of Kano office, Federal Character Commission (FCC) identified non cooperation of recruiting agencies and refusal to include the FCC in the recruitment process as some of the challenges facing the organisation.
He also noted that some government agencies are in the habit of providing misleading information to the commission.
“The FCC was established by Decree 34 of 1996 following the recommendatiom of the 1994/95 constitutional conference as an autonomous body to monitor and enforce compliance with Federal Character principle enshrined in Section 14(3) of the 1979 constitution.”
Usman argued that in spite of some of the lapses, the policy has helped in the furtherance of national cohesion.
In Birnin, a civil servant,Mohammed Usman, said non advertisement of vacant positions in federal establishments had denied the state of its quota, stressing that the few that were employed were assisted by other officers in the federal establishments.
He also called on the state government to secure employment for qualified people from the state into the federal MDAs.
According to him, the lopsided employment of workers into federal establishments was a national problem and that the commission needed to correct the anomaly.
He called on the federal commission to ensure proper monitoring of MDA’s to ensure equity in the recruitment and promotion of workers.
The chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC),Alhaji Umar Halidu,has also faulted the federal character principle especially in the area of employment of indigenes.
Halidu,told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Birnin Kebbi that the state indigines were left out in most of the federal establishments even as casual workers.
“It is only in the federal ministry of Agriculture that you find people from kebbi sate”.
“Most of the federal government establishments are occupied by the non-indigenes and this shows that the federal character is misapplied,” he said.
According to him, the NLC is looking for ways to ensure recruitment of people from the state into federal establishments.
He said the state had been deprive of the benefits from employment of indigenes especially in the rapid development of the state.
“Take a look at the ongoing construction of federal housing estate in Kebbi,you hardly see labourers from the state while non-indigenes were employed.
He noted the shortage of indigenes of the state in paramilitary formations and called on the federal government to tackle the challenges inherent in the policy.
Reporters/OSA/MTM
Edited by Shittu Obassa/Tukur Muntari
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