By Paul Efretwei, Abuja
The House of Representatives has resolved to invite Head of Service of the Federation and the Managing Director of Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to explain the rationale for the marginalization of Bayelsa in the ongoing recruitment exercise of the TCN.
This follows a motion raised at the plenary by Hon. Preye Influence Goodluck Oseke, the Honourable Member representing the Southern Ijaw Federal Constituency of Bayelsa State on the need to address the short-change against Bayelsa State in the skewed recruitment by the Transmission Company of Nigeria, and Other Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government.
He observed in the motion that the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) is in the process of concluding a recruitment exercise in which over four hundred applicants have been favourably considered and only a few of such successful applicants are from Bayelsa State, despite the very many eligibly qualified applicants from the State.
He pointed out that considering the youths’ restiveness on account of mass unemployment, this act of bias and uneven distribution of opportunities could negatively impact on unethical conducts perpetrated by youths of the state.
He expressed worry that the disequilibrium of the opportunities skewed against Bayelsa State is not only discriminatory, but amounts to a clear breach of sections 14 (3) and (4) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) on the application of the federal character principle.
Hon Oseke reminded the House that section 318(1) of the 1999 Constitution defines Federal Character as ‘the distinctive desire of the people of Nigeria to promote national unity, foster national loyalty and give every citizen of Nigeria a sense of belonging to the nation as expressed in section 14(3) and (4) of the Constitution, which means that beyond the constitutional imperative to comply with the Constitution is the utilitarian value of fairness and justice.
He said the continued marginalization and discrimination of the people of Bayelsa State in previous and ongoing recruitment exercises by Ministries, Departments and Agencies is a potential cause for disaffection among the teeming unemployed youths in the State who desire gainful employment.
But in a swift response , the House presided over by the Deputy Spesker Hon Idris Wase amended the motion to apply not only to Bayelsa state but to other states of the federation.
The house also mandates the Committees on Federal Character and Public Service Matters, to invite the Head of Service of the Federation and the Managing Director of TCN to appear before it to explain the rationale for the alleged marginalization of an entire state in an ongoing recruitments exercise.
