Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country, with over 250 ethnic groups from diverse cultures, languages and traditions. One of the objectives for assessing the impact of any government, including the Renewed Hope Agenda of the present administration, is the performance of government across ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
The essence of the Federal Character principle is to prevent the dominance of any particular ethnic group or region in the political and administrative landscape of Nigeria. The complexity of this country’s diversity necessitated the creation of the Federal Character Commission by Act No. 34 of 1996. The commission was empowered to implement and enforce the federal character principle of fairness and equity in the distribution of public positions and socio-economic infrastructures among the various federating units of the country. Others include ensuring equitable distribution of political dividends, national infrastructure, and ensuring inclusiveness.
The performance of any government in executing its policies and programmes is to understand the remarkable difference that is adopted in engendering an enduring process for national development, based on service, competence and equity. This will involve the implementation of an efficient federal character principle for inclusiveness to ensure that there is mutual trust to accelerate corporate growth and development across the country. By promoting inclusiveness, the federal character principle is supposed to reduce ethnic tensions and grow national unity.
But in the past, the practical application of this principle was marred by nepotism, corruption and inefficiency, thereby undermining its objectives. Other challenges included lopsided placement of civil servants at the federal and state levels without equity and fairness. Public offices have been sometimes allocated on the basis of party patronage rather than professional competence, merit or representation. This has led to inefficiency in the public service because competence has been sacrificed on the altar of ethnic balancing.
The lopsided policy is, however, being corrected and the system is gradually changing with the appointment of Dr. Muheeba Dankaka, as chairperson of the commission.
To reintroduce the efficient machinery that once made this nation’s civil service drive national development and become the envy of other developing countries in Africa, there is the need for an equitable formula, subject to the approval of the President or state governor, for the distribution of all cadres of positions in the civil and public service in Nigeria. This should cut across the security agencies (Armed Forces, Nigeria Police and others) and the federal ministries and agencies. This should be replicated at the state level so that the minority ethnic groups will not feel marginalized and become aggrieved.
The legal framework to promote, monitor and enforce compliance with the principles of proportional sharing of all bureaucratic, economic, media and political positions at all levels of government is a step in the right direction. The measures should include the prosecution of the heads or staff of any ministry, extra-ministerial department or agency that does not comply with the federal character principle or formula as prescribed by the law.
The targets of Federal Character Commission that recruitments into the public service and appointments of political office holders nationwide is in compliance with the federal character guidelines is another step in the right direction.
This should also apply to the provision of infrastructures such as roads, bridges, hospitals and water.
Addressing the challenges of infrastructure by involving the Nigeria Governors’ Forum will make the federal character principle more efficient, to ensure that all regions are not only fairly represented at the federal but at the state levels.
How then can this laudable vision be achieved? There should be aggressive and purposive sensitization and education on the importance of the federal character principle to correct public perception and promote a more inclusive and united Nigeria.
Nigerians should be made to buy into the principle of federal character and see that it is not merely for ethnic balancing but also to foster national unity and development.
By adopting a more efficient approach to balance merit and equitable representation, transparency and public awareness, this nation can harness the full potential of the federal character principle. This will not only contribute to building a more inclusive, united and progressive nation where every citizen will feel represented but also promote patriotism and higher self-esteem.
Tajudeen Kareem is a public policy analyst
Source: SUN
