The Senate, yesterday, resolved to summon the Chairman, Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC), Mrs. Joan Ayo, over allegations of secret employment in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
The resolution was reached by the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs during an oversight visit to the headquarters of the Federal Character Commission (FCC) in Abuja.
Lamenting the challenges faced by the commission, its Acting Executive Chairman, Shettima Bukar Abba, said the government agencies had failed in their responsibilities to comply with the federal character principle.
He lamented that efforts by the commission to get the FCSC to comply with the federal character principle and discourage secret employment in government agencies were frustrated by the constant denial of Ayo.
Abba also alleged that the MDAs skewed projects in the budget based on regional sentiments as against even distribution as required by the principle of federal character.
He told the senators that the development, “which is fast becoming a standard trend,” was challenged in the past by the Federal Character Commission, but to no avail.
He therefore solicited the support of the National Assembly, saying that the commission needed its protection against erring government agencies.
“There is an issue I need to draw your attention to as well. Distribution of projects in the annual budget ought to be in compliance with the federal character principle. So far, you find that this has not been the case as it is skewed to favour one part at the expense of another.
“As legislators, I think you should watch out for this by ensuring that projects are not skewed to favour a particular section of the country.
“I must add that in order to realise this, lawmakers should protect us (FCC) against MDAS in ensuring that the principle of federal character is maintained in drafting budget proposals.
“If they (MDAs) bring out their budget, their proposals must be balanced. They put in areas not based on the needs of people, but based on sentiments. These are some of the issues we want your support on, since we believe it is what will keep this country together,” Abba said.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Federal character, Tijjani Yahaya Kaura, said the panel would summon the FCSC boss over her alleged failure to adhere to the federal character principle.
The lawmaker, who represents Zamfara North senatorial district, assured the commission of the upper chamber’s support. “It is because of our directive on submission of nominal rolls that government agencies are now rushing to you (FCC). We want to assure you that the National Assembly will stand by you and give you all the necessary support,” he said.
Also yesterday, the Senate passed for a second reading a Bill for the Establishment of Nigerian Maritime University at Okerenkoko in Delta State.
James Manager (PDP, Delta South) who sponsored the bill described it as a bold step towards, not only addressing the educational backwardness of the people of the Niger Delta with difficult terrains but also in joining the league of countries like the United States, South Korea, India, China, Britain, Azerbaijan, Panama, Canada, the Netherlands, Brazil, Argentina and Ghana, with universities as platforms for the training of top-class manpower for the maritime industry.
According to Manager, in the whole of West Africa, and indeed beyond, only Ghana has a maritime university, stressing that the bill seeks to provide a legal framework for the Maritime University which actually started off and was functional, using a befitting temporary site at Kurutie until sometime in January, 2016.
He said that the maritime sector has huge potential and that Nigeria should have a university for the purpose of producing capable manpower for the sector to stop its domination by foreign interests.
In his contribution, Foster Ogola (PDP, Bayelsa West) said giving legal backing to the school would make Nigeria become a “hub of manpower development in the maritime sector” and the first to have maritime university in West Africa.
Gbenga Ashafa (APC-Lagos East) and Jibrin Barau (APC-Kano North) also supported the bill.When Senate President Bukola Saraki called the voice vote, the lawmakers unanimously responded “yes”. He then referred the bill to the committee on Tertiary Education and Tetfund to scrutinize and report back within four weeks.
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