The National Civil Society Council of Nigeria (NCSCN), has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to consider the South-East Zone in appointing heads of Para-military Agencies in the country, with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in view.
NCSCN says this move will further integrate and unite the Federation and lead to enhanced national integration and productivity.
In a Press Conference held in Abuja on 29th May 2024, the Executive Secretary NCSCN Dr. Raymond Edoh, asserted that President Tinubu can be rightly described as father of Civil Society in Nigeria, concerning his active role in NADECO, whose administration is both timely and divinely orchestrated to address past ills and issues that have bothered on National integration and Unity
“It would be recalled that the Federal Character Commission (FCC) was subsequently established by Act No 34 of 1996 as a Federal Executive body to implement and enforce the Federal Character Principle of fairness and equity in the distribution of public posts and socio-economic infrastructures among the various federating units of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and has played vital role in stabilizing the polity and strengthening our Unity and National Integration. Hence, a critical tool for National Peace and Development”.
He further stated.
” Driven by our commitment to contribute reasonably to building a better and greater Nigeria, NCSCN has been deeply engaged in research works and fact-finding missions into all sectors and aspects of nationhood, with view to making vital recommendations and important advisories to both Government and Private Sector Institutions.
It was in the course of the aforementioned that we stumbled into some alarming and disturbing statistics that motivated the Press Conference
Available and verifiable records show clearly that the configuration of the Nation’s Security and Para-Military Architectures do not properly reflect and represent the Federal Character Principle of the Nation, as engendered in the framework of the Federal Character Commission. To buttress our assertion, below is the list of Heads of Para-Military Agencies in Nigeria as records have it;
i. Nigerian Police Force – IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun
ii. Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps – Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi
iii. Department of State Service – Mr. Yusuf Magaji Bichi
iv. Nigeria Customs Service – Bashir Adewale Adeniyi
v. Nigeria Immigration Service – Kemi Nandap
vi. Nigeria Correctional Service – Haliru Nababa
vii. Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency – Mohammed Buba Marwa
viii. Economic & Financial Crime Commission – Mr Ola Olukayode
ix. Independent & Corrupt Practices Commission – Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu,
x. National Food & Drugs Administration & Control – Prof Moji Adeyeye
xi. Federal Road Safety Corps – ?
The above list shocking reveals that no personnel or official from the South East is head of any of the Agencies listed. With the retirement of the outgone Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps last week, general expectations and healthy assumptions were that the next Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) would be considered from competent and qualified personnel or officers from the South East Zone, to give some sense of belonging in line with the Federal Character Principle and Equity”. He went on to reveal
Dr. Edoh concluded that “The NCSCN is not naïve of the fact that politically speaking, the Zone may not have merited such kindness from the present Administration, however, fully aware of President Tinubu’s highly Nationalistic and Patriotic heart, we passionately ppeal that His Excellency uses this as a show of his large and accommodating heart, to balance and set the nation on a new and sustainable trajectory of National Integration and Development.
The Civil Society
Council stressed that it will not relent in equally encouraging and promoting National integration, good leadership and service to the nation