Prosecution for agency heads who flout Federal character

3 percent reperesentation by MDAs required

Prosecution for agency heads who flout Federal Character

Heads of Federal Government’s ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) who flout the Federal Character Commission (FCC) principles on employment stand the risk of being prosecuted says its chairman, Prof. Shuiabu Abdulraheem.

Abdulraheem stated this in Abuja while speaking to newsmen.

The federal character principle demands that no state of the federation and the FCT shall have less than 2.5 per cent or more than 3 per cent representation when the MDAs are recruiting employees.

Abduraheem warned that any chief executive who did anything to contravene the law setting up the commission or persisted in the old order of recruiting people based on nepotic or tribal considerations would face very dire consequences.

`` We are Nigerians and those who are charged with the responsibility of managing our affairs must at all times be conscious of general principle of the constitution of Nigeria which is to cater for the welfare and security of all Nigerians regardless of wherever they come from.”, he said

He added ``And recruitment is not only a welfare issue, it is also a security issue therefore, we caution that anyone who does anything to contravene the need for Federal Character as spread in his organisation is all undermining the security of the country as well.

``And whoever threatens our security is also threatening our unity which is the object of our constitution. So we urge those persons who are responsible for recruitment to recongnise that recruitment into government organisations is not just a welfare thing.’’

According to the chairman, recruitment has security implications and it has far reaching effects on the survival of the country.

Abdulraheem explained that the Federal Character Commission accorded equity a place of pride in employment matters since it was the bedrock of unity and that unity must be every Nigeria’s goal.
He said national spread of employment opportunities was also capable of removing discontentment, marginalisation or oppression by any section of the Nigerian polity over other sections.

The chairman said NAN that the commission was monitoring up to 500 Federal Government’s ministries departments and agencies.

NAN/Ugo