The Federal Character Commission (FCC) has announced that it has begun prosecuting heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies who have violated the federal character principle in their employment.
The commission’s Chairman, Dr Muheedah Dankaka, announced this at a seminar organized by the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR) on Monday in Abuja.
Dankaka, who was represented by her Special Adviser, Operations, Mr David Fakeye, stated that the commission had also adopted additional measures to ensure the country’s balanced development and employment.
The topic of the seminar was ‘Integrating Strategic Partnership with Critical Stakeholders and Advocacy on Balance Development and Employment in Nigeria.’
She stated that the commission had created a formula that would be submitted to the National Assembly for approval in order to ensure equity in employment and development.
The document, if approved, will guide the distribution of all cadres of posts in the civil and public services at the federal, state, and local levels, as well as the Armed Forces, other security agencies, corporate bodies, and MDAs, according to the chairman.
Dankaka explained that the formula also included strategies for ensuring equity in the distribution of socioeconomic services, amenities, and infrastructure throughout the country.
The commission’s chairman promised that it would work hard to close infrastructure and employment gaps, “so that no part of the country feels neglected, deprived, or marginalized.”
She explained that the FCC was not a government recruiting agency, but rather checked and monitored adherence to due process when any government agency was recruiting.
“It is for resolving imbalance problems and reducing fear of relative deprivation and marginalization in the Nigerian system,” the FCC chairman stated.
She stated that the commission was working in strategic partnership with key stakeholders, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), to improve the interconnectedness of business, society, and the environment.
“All societal sectors are critical, and achieving the set goals will necessitate unprecedented levels of cooperation and collaboration.”
“The best collaborations work toward a goal that neither party could achieve alone.”
“All stakeholders demonstrate distinct key competencies on which other partners can build to achieve larger and bolder outcomes.”
“Effective stakeholder engagement allows people to participate in decisions that affect them, which benefits governance, transparency, and accountability.”
“Where stakeholders are involved in decision-making, decisions are more likely to be sustainable,” she says.
Dankaka went on to say that the best way to grow any organization was to increase expertise, reduce costs, and improve research and development to improve services.
Earlier, Mr Dasuki Arabi, Director General of BPSR, stated that the seminar’s topic was appropriate given Nigeria’s dynamism and the critical role Strategic Partnership and Balance Development play in the employment and recruitment process.
According to him, the Strategic Partnerships Initiative (SPI) and Balanced Regional Development are critical prerequisites for achieving rapid economic development.
He explained that the overall progress of the economy is dependent on the balanced development of all of the country’s regions.
According to Arabi, SPI allows federating units to coordinate their efforts, reduce administrative burden, and pool resources in support of Federal Government processes.
“Balanced Regional Development is critical for creating and securing huge employment possibilities in a developing country like Nigeria,” he noted.
The Bureau’s vision, according to the director general, is for the country to have a highly functional, effective, and efficient socioeconomic system.
Arabi stated that this would aid in the attainment of long-term national consciousness, to which all citizens could enthusiastically subscribe.
He stated that the FCC was invited to the seminar to educate Nigerians on the challenges that the commission faced in carrying out its mandate and how they overcame them.