By News Agency of Nigeria
The Public Complaints Commission (PCC) has called on Nigerians to file their complaints to the Commission to help prevent the predominance of persons from a few states or ethnic groups in the political governance of Nigeria.
The Honorable Chief Commisioner, Public Complaints Commission (PCC) Honorable Abimbola Ayo-Yusuf, made the call on Tuesday, during a Stakeholders Forum/Public hearing in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the forum is titled “SYSTEMIC AND PROACTIVE INVESTIGATION INTO COMPLAINTS OF NON-COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL CHARACTER PRINCIPLES ON APPOINTMENTS INTO
THE FEDERAL CIVIL SERVICE”.
Ayo-Yusuf said the Public Complaints Commission, as the nation’s Ombudsman is statutorily vested with the mandate of promoting good governance, while curbing maladministration and other forms of administrative injustice.
According to him, it is worrisome when there is little or no compliance to the Federal Character Law, which unambiguously stipulates equal representation of states in the appointment and staffing of government offices.
“Federal Character Principle is one of the means devised by the Nigerian nationalists to prevent the
predominance of persons from a few states or ethnic groups in the political governance of Nigeria.
“It ensures that the composition of the Government of the Federation reflects the federal character of
Nigeria.
“However, the implementation of the
Federal Character Principle has been marred over the years, especially in recent times.
“The Commission has instituted this Forum to espouse this important principle in our national life, help identify the various loopholes through which Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government evade compliance and how to plug them,” he said.
The Chief Commisioner said the Forum also serves as a means of identifying ways to enforce compliance with the Federal Character Principle, notwithstanding its non-justiciable status.
He maintained that the Federal Character Principle is apt in our national life, given our heterogeneous nature and the religious, cultural and ethnic diversity of the country.
However, he said It was designed to ensure mutual trust, balance and create an all inclusive national workforce where our ethnic diversities are accurately represented and reflective of the federal nature of our government. (NAN)