No ethnic bias in our civil service — Kogi govt

The Kogi State Government has dismissed allegations of ethnic discrimination in civil service recruitment, responding to a viral voice note attributed to a female civil servant who claimed that Ebira youths were being excluded from employment opportunities within the state bureaucracy.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Commissioner for Information Kingsley Fanwo said the administration of Governor Ahmed Ododo is anchored on inclusivity, merit, and responsive governance, and that employment into the civil service would continue to be guided strictly by competence, capacity, and the availability of resources.

Fanwo acknowledged the voice note and a related video that had generated reactions online, but cautioned against attempts to sensationalise the matter. “It is regrettable that certain individuals and groups have sought to sensationalise the issue in a manner capable of inflaming public sentiment. The matter, in reality, remains within the realm of constructive engagement and institutional resolution,” he said.

While noting that the civil servant was entitled to her views, Fanwo said established channels exist for grievance redress within the civil service. He added that Governor Ododo had directed that the concerned civil servant be accorded full protection and mandated the civil service to strengthen internal feedback mechanisms to ensure grievances are addressed promptly.

“This administration is committed to upholding freedom of expression and will neither suppress nor persecute any citizen for peacefully expressing their views,” Fanwo said.

The commissioner reiterated that Ododo had sworn an oath to serve all parts of the state without bias or sectional preference, and called on residents to remain calm and disregard attempts to spread misinformation around the issue.