The Federal Character Commission (FCC) has been urged to strengthen collaboration with the Delta State Government to ensure fair representation of Deltans in the federal allocation of resources, employment opportunities and infrastructure.
The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr Kingsley Emu, made the call when a delegation of the FCC, led by the Commissioner representing Delta State, Hon. Lovette Idisi, paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Asaba.
Dr Emu emphasised the need for the Commission to reawaken its oversight responsibility in ensuring the equitable distribution of national resources and opportunities across the country.
The SSG noted that Delta State had not been adequately represented in the military, paramilitary services, federal civil service and in the siting of federal infrastructure and therefore called for stronger synergy between the Commission and the state government to address the imbalance.
Dr Emu also pledged the state government’s readiness to collaborate with the Commission at all times so that Deltans will not be shortchanged during recruitment into Federal parastatals.
He highlighted some efforts made by the state government in ensuring that Deltans benefit fairly from recruitment opportunities into the military and other paramilitary agencies, to include setting up of a committee to create awareness of enlistment into the military and paramilitary, which he said has greatly improved the enrolment figures into these institutions.
Earlier, the Commissioner representing Delta State in the FCC, Hon. Lovette Idisi, said the visit was to seek a partnership with the office of the SSG.
Hon Idisi explained that the Commission derived its powers from the 1999 Constitution to ensure fairness in the distribution of appointments, employment opportunities and the location of federal infrastructure, even as he assured that as the state representative in the Commission, he would continue to ensure that the state would get its fair share of any federal opportunities as they come.
