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New Page 26
Marginalisation:
Senate committee tours geo-political zones
The Senate Committee on Federal Character
and Inter-Governmental Affairs will on Monday kick-off a nationwide tour to
obtain first-hand information on the level of observance of the Federal
Character principle by the federal, state and local governments. IHEANACHO
NWOSU touches on some of the key issues that the committee would be
confronted with.
HOPEFULLY, the Senate Committee on Federal
Character
and Inter-Governmental Affairs will next Monday commence a tour of the nation’s
six geo-political zones.
The exercise, which is billed to kick-off
with a visit to Lagos State is primarily packaged to avail the lawmakers of the
true picture of how the federal character policy is being implemented by the
three tiers of government.
Ordinarily, there is nothing to provoke
special attention on the planned tour, afterall a number of senate committees in
charge of various areas and interests have been embarking on such exercises
unsung.
While some may feel this way, there are
however, several reasons why many may not entertain such belief especially given
that the nation has been in the throes of crises and unsettling developments
arising from unending complaints of marginalisation at all levels of government.
While marginalisation at the federal level
has drawn huge reactions in the form of cries and clamour by some ethnic groups
for equitable representation in the federal cabinet and in other sensitive
positions, most states have not known peace as a result of persistent
allegations by some of their senatorial zones who accuse their governors of
marginalising them in terms of appointments.
Federal Character, is a policy which seeks
to promote and advance the cause of equity and equality in appointments and
employment into the civil service. It is aimed at helping to provide a level
playing field for all Nigerians seeking a career in the public sector.
The enthronement of democracy in 1999
heightened agitations for equal representation of all segments of society in the
public service.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on
Federal Character and Inter-Govermental Affairs, Senator Ken Nnamani said
recently that the situation renewed clamour for fairness and recognition.
"Democracy has made people to unbottle
their feelings and to push for their rights. People who were hitherto
suppressed, want to express their right, they want to ensure that justice is
done to them", he said.
In many states, allegations of
marginalisation by some geo-political zones have reached a worrisome height.
Beyond mere routine work, many who are encumbered by the weight of their feeling
of marginalistion are looking forward to seeing the Nnamani-led senate committee
which will also get various state governments to listen to these complaints of
being sidelined.
"We want to take a tour of all
geo-political zones, investigate some of the complaints and allegations of
people and present a proper way of addressing the problems", the Senator said.
Though it is difficult to back some of the
allegations and complaints with facts, in virtually all the states in the
federation, the air is awash with mounting allegations of nepotism and neglect
by governors and top government functionaries in the recruitment of civil
servants and in government appointments.
Prior to the last general elections, these
allegations became very loud as some geo-political zones claimed that their
areas were sidelined for top government positions like the governorship.
Although the next general election is
still three years away, there are already cries and agitations by the different
senatorial zones in most of the states for the ceding of plum offices to their
zones(s).
What seems hazy is whether the Nnamani
committee will be able to address matters of that nature. Even if it is within
the scope of the committee to deal with, what seems uncertain is the extent of
success it will achieve given the fact that politicians are known for their
double speak on issues partaining to elections.
Senator Nnamani is known for his
thoroughness and clear-headness in the handling of issues. During his tenure as
the committee chairman in charge of states and local government matters, he
raised public consciousness to the widespread under-performance of council
chairmen.
Unlike many people who were only
criticising the chairmen for their alleged non performance and profligacy, the
senator led his committee to investigate the factors that had stood on the way
of these chairmen meeting the expectations of their people.
Part of what is quite unclear to many is
whether the senator and his colleagues would be able to tour the local councils.
Principles guiding federal character are designed for all the three tiers of
governments.
Like in the states, many local government
areas are in crisis as a result of continued suppression and marginalisation.
Most appointments and recruitments are, like at the federal and states levels,
based on political affiliation, ethnic consideration and nepotism.
In some of these councils, their
leadership, to a large extent are, regrettably, not even aware of the existence
of the Federal Character Commission. Those who know, sometimes believe that it
is moribund and therefore should not be taken into consideration while forming
their cabinets.
There are other touchy issues that the
committee will definitely stumble on as it goes round the country. Already, it
is widely believed that the persistent clamour for convocation of a Sovereign
National Conference (SNC) is being provoked by not only the anomalies in the
polity but by the continued marginalisation of some ethnic groups in government
appointments and recruitment to offices. Commentators, who see the tour of this
Committee as critical for the resolution of many of the nagging questions of the
polity at all levels of government, therefore say that the tour should be so
well publicised as to draw members of the public to come out in large numbers to
participate and unbottle their grievances.
The outcome of the tour, it is also
suggested, should form part of the input into the expected ammendment of the
constitution, so that every grey area in the implementation of the federal
character principles would be resolved and the resolution reflected in the
constitution.
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