Ex-Minister Pushes For Review Of Federal Character

A former Minister of National Planning Commission and Chief Economic Adviser to the President, Chief Philip Asiodu, has called for a review of the federal character and quota system in the public service.

Asiodu made the call in Abuja yesterday while speaking with our correspondent at the Nigerian Public Service Conference organised by the Presidential Committee on the Review of the Reform Processes in the Public Service.

“I’m calling for a review of the way that we have approached federal character and quota system in the challenges of the 21st century.

“We need change by beginning to select people on clear qualification, train and retrain them and position them in places where they can be competent.”

“As far as I’m concerned, as it was in my time, you advance on merit and productivity.”

Asiodu, who was one of those branded “super permanent secretaries” in their time, urged the government to use the best remuneration system to tackle corruption ravaging the public service.

“This question of corruption which is killing the country, we must ensure that we have a remuneration system based on the ability of the country to pay and not just for public servants in isolation.

“We cannot justify the kind of salaries which political office holders are being paid and so when we call for improvement in the salary of others, we must call for a drastic measure based on our resources.”

According to Asiodu, in that context now, we must have zero tolerance for corruption and that means that anybody who breaks the rules must be promptly and adequately punished.