The Chairman, Senate Committee on Army, Senator Ali Ndume (Borno South) has said there won’t be peace in Nigeria until all qualified candidates have equal chance in getting employed into federal agencies.
Speaking on Tuesday, the senator expressed sadness over job racketeering in federal government agencies, saying such act should be criminalised.
The lawmaker said many poor Nigerians don’t get employed in government agencies because “their own barrier is that they don’t know anybody.”
He said Nigeria would not have peace “until the son of nobody can become somebody without knowing anybody”.
Ndume stated this while briefing reporters on a bill for the establishment of the Nigerian Army University, Biu, Borno State, which passed second reading on the floor of the Senate.
He said though job seekers sometimes pay bribe because they are desperate, such act is wrong and should be criminalised.
“If they are employing people, let people be employed based on the constitutional provisions of federal character and merit.
“I feel very bad about it because I’m just privileged to become what I am without knowing anybody. Now, there are some people like me, but their own barrier is that they don’t know anybody.
“That is very unfortunate. And I say, this country will not have peace until the son of nobody can become somebody without knowing anybody,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ndume defended the citing of the Army University in Biu despite the security challenges.
“Are you saying that because we are unfortunate to be facing this callous actions by the insurgents, then the nation should abandon us and we shouldn’t get anything?,” he queried.
He said of all the several institutions in Borno State, only College of Education is located in Biu.
“Let me tell you to your surprise, that yes, that university has been located in an area where you think there is insecurity, but 80% of the students right now from the 1700 that were admitted this year are from the southern part of the country. Go and check the records. That means, this insecurity that you are talking about isn’t in the minds of our youths. They are thinking Nigeria.
“This particular university is for Nigeria, you can come from anywhere and there is no issue of quota system, no issue of religion and all that. So, that makes it a unifying place for all those that are interested in academic related to the military,” he added.
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