Rivers State Government has expressed concern over the lopsided appointments by the Federal Government so far as it has failed to follow the principle of the Federal character principle.
The State Governor Chief Nyesom Wike made the assertion at the weekend when the State Coordinator of the Federal Character Commission, Mr. Owunaro Henry Bolou, led other members of the commission on a courtesy visit in Government House, Port Harcourt.
Governor Wike who was represented by his Deputy, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo called on the Federal Character Commission to ensure equitable representation and appointment of indigenes of the state in federal establishments.
“We believe that there should be no margninalization whatsoever, not for any reason, nor political, Rivers State should be properly represented at all federal establishments like other States in the federation”, Chief Wike asserted.
He noted that the State can boast of competent and qualified persons with requisite experience who can serve the country in different capacities.
Chief Wike used the occasion to bemoaned the discriminatory attitude of some companies operating in the State on employment matters and urged the Federal Character Commission to push for the compliance of Corporate Organizations, Ministries, Departments and Agencies to the Federal Character law as enshrined in section 14, sub-section 3 and 4 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The Governor noted that the commission’s objective which is to foster and engender sense of national unity through equitable distribution of positions among the federating components of the country is sacrosanct and called for greater synergy between Federal Agencies and States.
He added that appropriate awareness is required to enable people participate in ongoing National Identification registration Exercise to check cases of impersonation.
Earlier, the State Coordinator of Federal Character Commission Mr. Owunaro Henry Bolou, cautioned the indiscriminate issuance of Local Government identification letters’ by Local Government Authorities in the state which has enabled non-indigenses to impersonate Rivers’ quota in several organizations and Federal parastatal.
