The Niger State chapter of Nigeria’s National Youth Council, NYCN, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to fire the newly appointed Registrar / Chief Executive of the National Examinations Council, NECO, Professor Godswill Obioma as a matter of urgency.
The Council urged Buhari to remove Obioma and replace it with a host community (Niger state) or Northern Nigerian candidate.
Calling in Minna, the NYCN State Chairman, Comrade Bello B. Shariff, said the host state had been relegated to the background in the 21 years of NECO ‘s life in appointing who sits at the examination body’s helm of affairs.
Sitting at a press conference alongside other organization officials, Shariff stated, “the struggle and agitation will continue until justice and fairness are shown in the activities of NECO.”
He also lamented that the host state has been shortchanged in the field of jobs, saying, “only less than 10 per cent of Level 1 to 6 made up of junior workers that is normally supposed to be denied to the host communities.
“And past leaderships brought citizens from their state to nominate, leaving the host communities unattended even at lower levels.”
On awarding contracts in the council, the chairman claimed that since the former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Alhaji Abubakar, founded NECO in 1999, local content has not been adhered to in contract awards, while also lambasting the Council for not being open and equitable in its Corporate Social Responsibility to the State.
Furthermore, the Chairman revealed that the State chapter is in talks with the national body , especially states in the North to see reasons for their agitations.
When contacted, however, NECO through the Public Relations Officer, Azeez Sani, said the organization was aware of the NYCN state’s agitation over the appointment of the new Registrar.
He added that the examining body will soon come up with a position on the matter saying, “for now, that’s all we can say on the subject.”
