Wednesday 3 February 2016

Federal Character Commission canvasses equal treatment of Nigerians

Alhaji Shetima Abba, the Acting Executive Chairman of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), says Nigerians must be treated equally in terms of employment and other benefits wherever they reside.

Abba, who spoke on Wednesday in Abuja at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) forum, said this was critical to further boost national unity.

He stressed that less emphasis should be placed on state of origin while every Nigerian must be treated equally, especially when such an individual had resided for long in his place of residence.


``I have Igbo friends who have stayed in Maiduguri for close to 40 years and when it comes to employment they are not recognised.

``This is too bad for a country that preaches unity and you find this situation all across the states of the federation.

``I want a commission where every Nigerian will be regarded as one so that at the end of the day, there will be no need for federal character in terms of employment,’’ he said.

Abba further stressed that if Nigerians were given the opportunity to work anywhere they reside irrespective of their state of origin, the country would be the better for it.

He cited Lagos as one state where Nigerians were regarded as a big family working for the state government.

Abba said it was unfortunate that Nigerians were treated separately in securing employment in their states of residence, even after spending several years in such states.

He, however, said that the commission`s major challenge was accommodation, adding that it had been operating from a rented apartment for 18 years.

This, he said, was an impediment to its operations, saying that the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation was looking into the situation.

He called for partnership with the media, especially with NAN, to project the commission`s operations to the public.

Abba also said the commission was working to ensure that commissioners were posted to Kebbi and Bayelsa and other states where there were no commissioners.

According to him, a letter had already been written to the Office of the Secretary to the Federal Government for commissioners to be posted to such states.
Credit: NAN

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