The K-Vom host community has appealed to the Federal Government to ensure fairness, equity and inclusiveness in the appointment of principal officers of federal institutions located within the community, particularly the Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, Vom, and the Federal College of Medical Laboratory Science and Technology, Vom.
In a statement issued by the Youths of K-Vom Host Community, the group stressed that its demand was not for preferential treatment but for equal consideration of qualified indigenous professionals from the host community in future leadership appointments.
The community expressed appreciation to the Federal Government for appointing Dr. Dashe Yakubu Gunya as the Executive Director of the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI), Vom, describing him as a worthy son of Plateau State despite not being of Berom extraction.
According to the statement, the appointment was welcomed in the spirit of unity and “One Plateau,” with prayers offered for his successful tenure.
However, the community expressed concern over what it described as the continued exclusion of qualified indigenous sons from leading the two federal colleges situated on their ancestral land.
It noted that the recent appointment of Prof. Abdullahi Ahmed as Provost of the Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, Vom, as well as the current leadership of the Federal College of Medical Laboratory Science and Technology, Vom under Dr. Chukwu O. Chukwu, meant that both institutions were headed by non-indigenes of the host community.
The group clarified that its position was not a criticism of the qualifications or competence of the current provosts but rather a call for qualified indigenous professionals serving within the institutions to be given fair consideration whenever leadership positions become vacant.
The statement further noted that the K-Vom community has, over the years, provided the land for the institutions, maintained peaceful coexistence and supported their growth and development, adding that the host community had continued to create an enabling environment for the institutions despite receiving little in terms of corporate social responsibility.
The community maintained that merit and equity should complement each other in public appointments and urged the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development and the Presidency to ensure future appointments reflect the principles of fairness, inclusion and the Federal Character principle.
Reaffirming its commitment to peace and national unity, the K-Vom community said its appeal was aimed at promoting justice, strengthening inclusion and ensuring that qualified indigenous professionals are not continually overlooked in institutions established on their ancestral land.
