Mu’azu Jaji Sambo, the Honourable Minister of State, Works and Housing, made this statement on a courtesy call to the Executive Chairman and Commissioners of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), at the Commission’s Headquarters, in Abuja on Tuesday 15th February 2022.
The Executive Chairman, Dr. Muheeba Dankaka, OON, NPOM, welcomed the Minister and his entourage into the Commission’s Conference room, where she congratulated him on his appointment as a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. “Let me, first of all, congratulate you, sir, on your appointment as Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is a well-deserving one, considering your wealth of experience and exposure, which the country and the Ministry under your purview will benefit from”
Furthermore, she said “The Federal Character Commission (FCC) is a Federal Executive body established to implement and enforce the Federal Character Principle of fairness and equity in the distribution of public posts and socio-economic infrastructure among the various federating units of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
One of the Federal Character Commission’s duties is to work out an equitable formula, subject to the approval of the President, for the distribution of all cadres of posts in the civil and public service of the Federation and the States.
She also thanked the Honourable Minister, for giving the Commission, His Excellency, Armaya’u Dauda Abubakar, a former Deputy Governor of Taraba State, and representing Taraba State at the Commission. She described him as a “very kind-hearted person and a good man” who has always been there for her and others. She thanked the Minister for his auspicious visit.
In his remarks, the Honourable Minister described the Commission as the nation’s melting pot. He said people of different status, experience, and pedigree are represented in the Commission. Former Governors, former Senators, former Army Generals, Technocrats to mention but a few, are ably represented in the Commission. “If you want to feel the pulse of Nigeria, you better come here”.
The Minister said “*The Engine room of any Nation is its public service, because it is the public service that drives the budget, and it is the budget that changes the lives of people. So if you don’t have effective people driving the budget, the people are going to perish – all motion without movement. But with the calibre of people I see here and their pedigree, I am sure the states are well represented in the Commission”*
He thanked the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR), for not only ensuring that the female gender is recognized under his administration, but the best of the females are pushed forward. He was impressed that a female in the person of Dr. Muheeba Dankaka, OON, NPOM, leads the Commission. In his words, “She is a lioness among lions” and this was welcomed by a rousing applause and satisfactory laughter.
The Honourable Minister who is known for his pragmatic views and sincerity, without any iota of sycophancy said the Executive Chairman, Dr Muheeba Dankaka, OON, NPOM, is someone who has established an impeccable pedigree in the private sector and politics, and since her appointment, watching her from a distance, she has brought that reformative leadership quality to the Federal Character Commission.
Succinctly, he congratulated the recently appointed Commissioner representing Taraba state, His Excellency Armaya’u Dauda Abubakar, whom he called a proud son of Taraba, a man of character, experience and humility, wishing him and other Commissioners well in their endeavour and thanking them for their unwavering supporting the Executive chairman.
Concluding his remark, he thanked the Executive Chairman and the Commissioners for the warm reception, “I am grateful that I have been received so warmly by my sister and brothers around the table. I feel proud to be a Nigerian this morning”. He conveyed the goodwill and felicitations of the Honourable Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, “My big brother, the Senior Minister has asked me to wish you well, and to encourage you to stand firm and continue to do the things you are doing. May Allah bless you, continue to protect you, give you wisdom especially as you lead this Commission”, he prayed.
In his vote of thanks, Mohammed Auwal Naiya, representing Kano State said “ I am deeply touched with the comments of the honourable Minister, indeed you have extended the hand of friendship, high sense of brotherhood, and I am sure, what you have said is from the bottom of your heart. It is on this note that I will like to humbly and effectively thank you very much for your visit, and I am sure we will continue to support and cooperate with the activities of this commission as enumerated by the chairman. Thank you very much on behalf of my colleagues, we hope we shall see more of your visits”.
In attendance apart from the Executive Chairman are: Hon. Henry Udeobiuwa Ogbulogo (Abia), Rev. Ibeabuchi Uche Ukadike (Anambra), Mohammed Tijjani (Bauchi), Prof. Festus Imuetiyan (Edo), Hamza Mohammed (Gombe), Lawan Roni (Jigawa), Mohammed Auwal Naiya (Kano), Hon. James Jiya Kolo (Kwara), Abdul Wasiu Kayode Bawan Allah (Lagos), Gen. suleiman Barau Said rtd. ( Niger), Abiodun Isiaq Akinlade (Ogun), Prof. Joseph Adeniyi Olowofela (Oyo), Alh. Armayau Dauda Abubakar (Taraba), Hon. Jibrin Maigari (Yobe) and Sen. Adamu Muhammad Sidi-Ali (FCT).
