Public Jobs Should Focus on Skills, Says PRP Leader

PRP presidential hopeful, Yakubu Kingsley, believes that public jobs should depend on skills, honesty and accountability. He thinks appointments should not be based on ethnicity, religion, political party or personal ties.

Kingsley stated that this idea should drive how public officials are chosen while making sure all regions, communities, genders and age groups are fairly represented in government.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the PRP presidential candidate said, “The new direction for the country should mean combining competence with equitable representation, integrity and accountability.”

He added that the guiding rule should be clear: Merit, Integrity, Representation, Transparency and Accountability.

Kingsley stressed that skills should always be a major factor in public job appointments. He warned that no region, state, community, gender or age group should be left out of national activities.

He also mentioned that the Federal Character principle needs to be applied honestly and in a way that can be measured in governance.

“Federal character must therefore become more than a constitutional principle invoked during political arguments; it must become a transparent and measurable instrument of governance,” Kingsley stated.

He suggested a plan for public appointments that would allow Nigerians to see the geographical, professional and other aspects of representation in government.

According to him, this system would help cut down on political blame games around appointments.

Kingsley added that inclusion should not just be about government jobs but also about making policies and consulting with various sections of society.

He named political parties, professional groups, religious bodies, traditional institutions, civil society organizations, academia, labor, the private sector, women and youth groups, people living with disabilities, Nigerians abroad and community groups as important voices in national development.

“Inclusion has to go beyond appointments. While government must remain constitutionally neutral, particularly in matters of religion and partisan politics, it must maintain structured channels for consultation with these constituencies and draw from their knowledge, experience and reach,” he said.

He pointed out that governance should involve wider consultations with different groups so they can help in making policies, checking how they work and giving feedback.

“Governance must not be confined to Abuja or to the political class. Government must listen to the people they serve, who experience the consequences of its decisions,” he added.

Kingsley mentioned that the idea of inclusion should also apply to communities where Nigeria’s natural resources are taken.

“Nigeria belongs to us all; therefore, the government must reflect that reality. The country is a nation of remarkable ethnic, cultural, religious, professional, political and regional diversity.

“Legitimate interests must have voices and Nigerians must have fair opportunity to contribute to the development of the nation,” he said.

He argued that communities where oil, gas and solid minerals are taken should have a larger say in development that comes from those resources.