The Federal Character Commission (FCC), on Monday, restated its commitment to the implementation of equitable distribution of infrastructure in line with the commission mandates.
Chairman, FCC, Dr Muheeba Dankaka, stated this in Abuja, at the sensitization workshop for stakeholders in the North Central geo-political zone, with the theme: “Integrating Strategic Partnership with Critical Stakeholders and Advocacy on Balance Development .”
She explained that the workshop will further deepen understanding and consolidate the commission shared responsibility to make Nigeria work by aligning with constitutional provisions.
Dankaka said: “This workshop is believed to pave the way for the actualization of the Federal Character principle and eliminate suspicion and feeling of marginalization and alienation, among the citizenry.
“And at policy thrust of this government aims at bringing about integrated and balanced development of the country, it becomes obvious that the twin-mandate of the commission can provide a veritable platform for its actualization.
“This conviction advanced the need for this stakeholders workshop with particular focus on cooperation between the commission and stakeholders for smooth implementation which the commission believes will impact more positively on the lives of every citizen and federating units of the country”.
In his remarks, the Federal Commissioner representing Abia State in the commission, Hon Henry Ogbulogo, said there is a need for full implementation of the character principle on infrastructure facilities for the development of all regions.
He said that the fund allocated for infrastructure should be based on States and geo-political zone across the country.
Also, Mr Onobun Vincent, during his paper presentation, said that the commission has to be included in the national budgetary process for implementing and enforcing the character principle, to address infrastructure facilities on the allocation of funds.
He said: “The diversity of Nigeria is a reality. There is a need to manage this asset in a more creative and reasonable way. If we desire a balanced development in a balanced federation, we must all ensure that there is guaranteed, assured and protected equity in the execution and distribution of capital projects by MDAs to be assured of balance and equity in the polity.
“It is essential to appeal to the regulator and regulated to trust and believe in this country and ensure selfless and committed attitude to their separate responsibilities to guarantee a balanced social environment for fair, justiceable and equity in co-existence.”
However, in his paper presentation, Special Adviser to the Executive Chairman, of FCC, Mr David Fakeye, said that the federal character principle is a constitutional matter, developed to foster national unity.
Fakeye, who spoke on the topic “Federal Character Clauses and National Unity,” said: “The implementation has been able to distinguish its application from quota system promoting representative bureaucracy and meritocracy. It has provided new norms and civilised procedures for the non-violent resolution of conflicts and marginalisation over ethnic access to opportunities.
“It has also increased generation of data on employment and infrastructures that can be objectively accessed to monitor problems of representation and give information on trends of representation, among others,” he said.
