Ensure Fairness To FCT, Rep. Enjoins Civil Service Commission

By: Victoria Agorom

The Member representing FCT-North Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Joshua Chinedu Obika, has urged the Federal Civil Service Commission to redress the lop-sidedness against FCT in its recruitment process.

The Member made this plea, when he paid a visit to the Honourable Commissioner representing FCT and Niger State in the Commission, Mallam Shehu Umar Danyaya.

Obika reiterated his commitment to offering development-oriented representation through partnership with all agencies that have bearing on the welfare of FCT residents.

He expressed worry over the allotment to Abuja of only one-third of what the states receive during recruitment exercises.

Obika, therefore, requested to know if there was any grounds known to law why FCT should be treated as such.

He drew attention to Section 299 of the 1999 Constitution as Amended, which enshrined that the provisions of the Constitution shall apply to the Federal Capital Territory as if it were one of the states of the Federation.

The Member stressed that FCT today has more population than many states and boast of greater number of qualified manpower than most states of the federation, who receive thrice what is given to Abuja.

Obika cited Abuja’s hosting of the seat of the federal government, agencies as well as its sacrifices in terms of land and other resources as a major reason it should be given a special consideration compared with the states when it comes to recruitments.

His words: “It is very worrisome to observe that Abuja is downgraded into a third rate status when it comes to recruitment into the Federal Civil Service, which is unacceptable.”

He, thus, appealed to the commission to take urgent measures to redress the lop-sidedness being meted out to the FCT in the interest of fairness and justice.

Obika drew attention to the recent nomination of a Minister from the Federal Capital Territory; describing it as a positive recognition of the long standing demands by FCT residents for a proper consideration and representation in the Federal Executive Council.

He urged the Federal Civil Service Commission to emulate the good example of the Federal Government by redressing the imbalance.

Earlier while briefing Hon. Joshua Obika, the FCT/Niger Civil Service Commissioner, Shehu Umar Danyaya, welcomed the august visitor and indicated that the mandates of the Federal Civil Service Commission include to recruit, promote and discipline all Federal Civil Servants.

Danyaya disclosed that whenever there are vacancies in the Federal Civil Service, FCT is allotted one-third of whatever is given to the states of the federation.

Danyaya informed the FCT North Representative that The Federal Civil Service Commission, unlike other commissions such as the Federal Character Commission, has 15 Commissioners because commissioners represent groups of two or three states.

This, he indicated, explains why FCT/Niger State has one Commissioner.