SERAP warns over implications of non-constitution of FCC board

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has advised the federal government to immediately constitute the board of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), to avoid a constitutional crisis.

Although the FCC Act 1995 establishing the commission stipulates that each state of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory must be represented by a commissioner on the board, the commission currently has an Acting Chairman and Secretary only.

The Act stipulates that for “any decision to be taken, the quorum for a meeting of the commission shall be not less than one-third of the total number of members of the commission at the date of the meeting.”

The commission is charged with the responsibility of working out an equitable formula, subject to the approval of the president ,for the distribution of all cadres of posts in the civil service, the public service , the armed forces, the Police and other security agencies.

It is also empowered to provide guidelines for government agencies, ministries and extra-ministerial departments and monitor compliance level in the provision of employment opportunities and in the distribution of infrastructure facilities, socio-economic amenities and other indices around the countries.

However, the Executive Director of SERAP, Mr. Tokubo Mumuni, said without the constitution of the board, there is no way the commission can be expected to perform its duties.