Character commission threatens to prosecute heads of FG agencies

Heads of Federal ministries, departments and agencies who flout the Federal Character Commissions principles on employment stand the risk of being prosecuted.FCC Chairman, Prof. Shuiabu Abdulraheem, issued the warning while speaking at a forum of the News Agency of Nigeria.The federal character principle demands that no state of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory shall have less than 2.5 per cent or more than three per cent representation when the MDAs are recruiting employees.Abduraheem said 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.He said, We are Nigerians and those who are charged with the responsibility of managing our affairs must at all times be conscious of the 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.And recruitment is not only a welfare issue, it is also a security issue. Therefore, we warn that anyone who does anything to contravene the need for Federal Character spread in his organisation is 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 recognise that recruitment into government organisations is not just a welfare thing but a security issue.According to him, recruitment is not just a matter of putting bread and butter on someones table, it has a far-reaching effect on the survival of the country.Abdulraheem explained that the FCC accorded equity a place of pride in employment matters since it was the bedrock of unity.He said national spread of employment opportunities was also capable of removing discontentment, marginalisation or oppression of any section of the country.The chairman told NAN that the commission was monitoring up to 500 MDAs.To the best of our ability, we have organised interactive sessions with heads of these organisations from time to time to familiarise them with the workings of the FCC, he added.
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