The Niger State chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to as a matter of urgency fire the newly appointed Registrar/Chief Executive of National Examinations Council, Professor Godswill Obioma.
The Council urged Buhari to remove Obioma and replace him with a candidate from the host community (Niger state) or Northern Nigeria.
Making the call in Minna, the NYCN state chairman, Comrade Bello B. Shariff, said in the 21 years of NECO’s existence, the host state has been relegated to the background in appointing who sits at the helm of affairs of the examination body.
Seated alongside other officials of the organization at a press conference, Shariff stated, “the struggle and agitation will continue until justice and fairness are exhibited in NECO’s activities.”
He also lamented that in the area of employment, the host state has been shortchanged, arguing,” only less than 10 per cent of Level 1 to 6 made up of junior staff that ordinarily supposed to be for the host communities were denied.
“Even the past leaderships brought in people from their state for appointments leaving the host communities unattended to even at a lower cadre.”
On the award of contracts in the council, the chairman stated that since, the establishment of NECO in 1999 by the former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Alhaji Abubakar, local content has not been adhered in the contract awards, while also lambasting the Council for not being transparent and fair in its Corporate Social Responsibility to the state.
The Chairman further revealed that the state chapter is in talks with the national body, particularly states in the North to see reasons for their agitations.
However, when contacted, NECO through the Public Relations Officer, Azeez Sani, said the organization was aware of the agitation of the state NYCN on the appointment of the new Registrar.
He added that soon, the examination body would come up with a position on the issue saying, “for now, this is all we can say on the issue.”
