The Federal Character Commission (FCC) Committee on Works, Transport and Aviation, chaired by Hon. Peter Ogbonna Eze, and the management of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) have pledged stronger collaboration to promote inclusivity, fairness and compliance with the Federal Character principle in recruitment, promotion and staff deployment.

The commitment was made on Tuesday during an interactive session at the FCC headquarters in Abuja, where the committee engaged FAAN management on its workforce practices and measures to strengthen compliance with Federal Character guidelines without compromising professional competence and aviation safety.

Speaking at the session, Eze stressed the need for federal institutions to provide qualified Nigerians from all parts of the country with equitable opportunities to contribute to national development.

He noted that fairness and merit were not mutually exclusive, insisting that Nigeria could achieve professional excellence alongside national inclusivity through transparent and equitable employment practices.

“Fairness is not a substitute for merit, and merit should not become an excuse for exclusion. Our goal is a workforce that is both professionally excellent and nationally representative,” Eze said.

The FCC committee chairman explained that the engagement was intended to assess progress, identify existing challenges and develop practical solutions that would strengthen cooperation between FAAN and the commission.

He urged the authority to “look beyond compliance documents and demonstrate a clear commitment to equitable opportunities”, noting that “a workforce that reflects the country’s diversity would strengthen public confidence and contribute to national development”.

Eze, who is the Federal Commissioner representing Enugu State, was optimistic that the meeting should produce measurable commitments and reinforce the responsibility of federal institutions to uphold the Constitution.

Responding, FAAN’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mrs Olubunmi Onabanjo-Kuku, reaffirmed the authority’s commitment to the Federal Character principle while emphasising the need to maintain the specialised standards required in the aviation industry.

Onabanjo-Kuku said FAAN’s annual promotion exercises involved consultations with the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and the Salaries and Wages Commission.

She also stated that, to the best of her knowledge, the authority had not received any letter from the Federal Character Commission alleging non-compliance, which means every process was diligently done.

The FAAN managing director welcomed further guidance from the commission on procedures for notifying it of recruitment and promotion exercises, assuring that the authority would continue to comply with the prescribed guidelines.

She explained that aviation operations were governed by “international standards, including those of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which inform personnel qualifications and operational requirements”.

According to her, “FAAN manages 22 airports and provides management services for about six others on behalf of state governments and private-sector interests”. She noted that passenger traffic and operational activities were concentrated in a few airports, making staff deployment dependent on specific operational needs.

Onabanjo-Kuku identified aviation security and fire and rescue services as areas requiring additional personnel, adding that recruitment into such specialised positions must take account of prescribed age, health and physical fitness requirements.

She maintained that FAAN would continue to balance the technical demands of aviation operations with the need to comply with Federal Character guidelines.

In a related development, the Executive Chairman of the Federal Character Commission, Hon. Hulayat Motunrayo Omidiran, assured FAAN of the commission’s readiness to build a cordial and productive working relationship with federal agencies.

Omidiran gave the assurance when the FAAN managing director paid her a courtesy visit after the interactive session. She explained that the commission was adopting a more streamlined approach to compliance and direct engagement with heads of government institutions.

She said the interactive sessions were designed to ensure that agency heads understood the commission’s expectations and personally committed to implementing the required standards.

The FCC chairman emphasised that direct engagement with heads of agencies was necessary to establish accountability and prevent uncertainty over compliance procedures.

She expressed optimism that sustained cooperation would improve relations between the commission and federal institutions while strengthening adherence to the Federal Character principle.

The engagement underscored the shared commitment of the FCC committee, FAAN and the commission’s leadership to promoting fairness, professional excellence and equitable representation in the federal public service.