The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Chapter of the Gbagyi/Gbari Youth Association has appealed to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike to make an Abuja indigene the chairman of FCT Civil Service Commission and its Secretary yielded to a youth from the area.
In the interest of fairness, equity and justice, the FCT natives also advocated that the Secretary to the Government of FCTA should also be ceded to an FCT indigene.
A member, Board of Trustee of the association, Elisha Yakubu made this call on behalf of the natives in a press briefing, titled “FCT indigene concerns over the proposed appointment of nine permanent secretaries, chairman FCT Civil Service Commission and other appointments.”
LEADERSHIP had reported that the FCT minister disclosed that the administration will be appointing nine permanent secretaries for each secretariat in the FCTA.
The minister added that names of the nominees will be submitted to President Bola Tinubu to confirm the appointment of FCT Civil Service Commission and members of the Commission.
The natives expressed gratitude to President Tinubu and the minister for their efforts to democratise the FCT, saying that as responsible citizens who have peacefully hosted the nation’s capital, it is only fair and just to include them in the scheme of things as they have no other place to call home like other Nigerians.
“We therefore make the following demands, that we be given two Mandate Secretary slots from each area council to add to the present number of secretaries for efficient administration.
“The FCT Minister should constitute an Advisory Council which will consist of our stakeholders and others. The appointment of permanent secretaries, 60 percent should come from area councils who must be an indigene of the Council. We have no other place to go.
“That FCT indigenes be considered for the slots of the twelve vacant FCT High Court Judges at hand. We also demand a review of the master plan of FCT to accommodate the Indigenous population as we no longer need resettlement but rather integration for Urban Renewal Development.
“It is on record that since General JT Useini upgraded our traditional rulers in 1998 till date, they have remained on the same level while their counterparts in other states have been elevated. On this note, we demand the promotion and creation of more Chiefdom in the FCT,” Yakubu said.
The natives further demanded that the Federal Commissioner for Federal Civil Service Commission should be replaced with FCT Indigene going by the rotational arrangement between Niger and FCT, noting that Niger State has occupied that office for so long now.
“The above demands are key towards the liberation, development and peaceful co-existence of the FCT indigenes and other Nigerians. For the sake of justice and equity, we plead that the above demands be considered and granted,” he said.
