The Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs has instructed the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) to submit comprehensive details of its 3,000 employees. This directive came during an investigative session led by Committee Chairman Senator Allwell Onyesoh (PDP Rivers East) with NASC Chairman Ahmed Amshi and senior management staff.
The session was part of the Senate’s scrutiny into the NASC’s adherence to Federal Character Principles in its recruitment practices. The senators emphasized that any federal recruitment not compliant with these principles would be unconstitutional.
Although NASC Chairman Ahmed Amshi stated that no recruitment had occurred since he took office, the presented staff records contradicted his claim. Amshi clarified that the last recruitment by the NASC took place in 2018 and provided a breakdown of the current staff distribution by zone:
- North Central: 1,024 workers
- South-South: 631 workers
- South East: 592 workers
- North West: 564 workers
- North East: 474 workers
- South West: 436 workers
Senator Onyesoh mandated the NASC to deliver additional documents detailing the number of workers recruited from each state and local government area within each zone. He stressed the need for transparency to ensure equitable representation as mandated by the Federal Character Principle.
Speaking to journalists, Onyesoh highlighted the importance of breaking down the data to accurately reflect state and local government distribution. He said, “For us to get to the root, we asked for further explanation, by way of more documents breaking it down to states and then to LGAs. This ensures that no region is unfairly represented, and each state and local government area gets a fair share of employment opportunities.”
He further elaborated, “The Federal Character Principle is designed to promote unity and fairness, ensuring everyone feels a sense of belonging in the country. Adhering to this principle is crucial for maintaining trust and equity in federal employment practices.”
The Committee’s focus on detailed distribution aims to prevent overrepresentation in certain regions and underrepresentation in others, ensuring that the Federal Character Principle achieves its intended purpose of national unity and fairness.