The Federal Character Commission (FCC) has said it would embark on its mandate to reduce and curb the marginalisation of Lagos State indigenes in job recruitment at the federal, state, and local government levels.

According to a statement on Sunday, the Federal Commissioner representing Lagos State at the FCC, Abuja, AbdulWasiu Bawa-Allah, disclosed this during a sensitisation event organised for Eko Club members in Surulere.

He said, “You and I know that everyone would like to lay claim to the indigeneship of Lagos State and still keep that of their own state of origin as well. This creates an imbalance. This singular act by indigenes of other states claiming Lagos State has deprived Lagos indigenes of their rightful spots at the three tiers of government. This was noticed in the Army and Police recruitments.

“Another challenge leading to marginalisation of Lagos indigenes is that most youths are not ready to leave Lagos to take up employment opportunities in other parts of the country. Also, most of them do not get the right information as and when due. Some do not know how to log into employment websites to fill out the required online forms appropriately.

“In the light of the foregoing, the FCC is a legal weapon that has been put in place for proportional sharing of appointments, promotion of vacancies at directorate levels, without sacrificing merit, and the provision of socio-economic amenities, infrastructural facilities at all levels of government, nationwide.”

Bawa-Allah further stated that in any of the local government levels in Lagos State, the percentage range for proportional sharing of any vacant position for employment should not be less than four per cent and not more than six per cent.