By Fred Ezeh

Worried by the inability of the indigenes of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, to secure admission into federal governmentowned tertiary institutions and federal government colleges, the Ona of Abaji, His Royal Majesty, Dr. Adamu Baba Yunusa, has requested for redress and the inclusion of the FCT in the category of educationally-disadvanteged states.

This, according to him, would give indigenes of the FCT more opportunities to secure admission for its people.

The royal father, who presented the request to the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, in Abuja recently, said that, unless this were done, they would continue to be excluded in tertiary institution admissions because they do not have quotas. 

He reminded the minister that indigenes of the FCT do not enjoy quota that would have guarantee them admission, scholarships or employment in federal Unity Colleges, as enjoyed by other communities playing host to the institutions.

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Yunusa, who doubles as the chairman, FCT Council of Chiefs, as well as the Chancellor, Federal University, Wakari, asked the minister to direct the Joint Admission and Matriculations Board (JAMB) and other bodies to include the FCT in the catchment area of federal government-owned tertiary institutions.

He said that the consequences of not placing the FCT in a catchment area and denying its people some quota are already manifesting with many cases of dropouts, drug addiction and joblessness among the indigenes.

The Onaji referred to Section 2(2) and 3 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended, which made the FCT a federating unit in the country,. He, therefore, urged the minister to look into the issues and come to the aid of the indigenes of Abuja.

Adamu, in response, assured the indigenes, who are mainly of Gbagyi ethnic origin, that their right to quality education would be addressed within the ambit of the law, especially with regard to access to Unity Colleges and federal tertiary educational institutions.

The minister told the Onaji that modalities were being fine-tuned to correct the anomalies in the admission system, thus giving recognition to FCT indigenes in admissions and other educational opportunities.