…As Minister Warns Directors Against Sabotage
1. Consequent to the establishment of the FCT Civil Service Commission, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Barrister Ezenwo Nyesom Wike has said that 9 Permanent Secretaries will be appointed to head the Mandate Secretariats of the FCT Administration.
2. Barrister Wike revealed this in Abuja on Monday, March 4th, 2024 during his maiden Meeting with the Directors of the FCT Administration (FCTA) and the Federal Capital Development Authority, (FCDA).
3. The FCT Minister also disclosed that a Head of Service and Chairman of the FCT Civil Service Commission as well as Members of the Commission will be appointed to take charge of the employment, training, and discipline of the FCT Civil Servants, just as it is the practice in states of the Federation.
4. The Minister described the establishment of the FCT Civil Service Commission as a bold initiative, saying it takes people who are firm and with a desire to do things right to implement certain policies or laws.
5. According to the Minister, “The Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President is to do things right and that was why the President took that step to implement the 2018 law regarding establishing the Civil Service of the FCT.
6. “By the grace of God, we will have a Head of Service. We will have Permanent Secretaries that will head the various Secretariats, just like what is obtainable in the states”.
7. The Minister disclosed that although there were challenges while implementing the policy as there were people opposed to it, he said the President stood firm and insisted that the FCT Civil Service Commission must be established.
8. Consequently, the Minister said, “Very soon, we will be sending names to Mr. President for approval of those who will be the first set of Permanent Secretaries that will head the various Secretariats and then, of course, the Head of Service, and then the Chairman and members of the Civil Service Commission, who will now be responsible for the employment, training, and discipline of the FCT Civil Servants”.
9. Speaking further on the appointment of the Permanent Secretaries, the Minister said he would submit the names to the President on his return from Qatar, adding that he would also ensure geographical spread in line with the Federal Character Principle.
10.He said, “When the President comes back today, I will submit the nine persons. It must be spread in the six geopolitical zones. So, if it is nine that is coming, at least, the six zones must have one each. That makes it six. Then we can play with three because I will not support where one zone will take three, another zone does not have. We will not do that. So, pray that you will be one of the first Permanent Secretaries. It will be a real feat for you”.
11.The Minister however observed that some Directors in the FCT Administration were working to frustrate the efforts of the government and warned that he will not accept any act of sabotage.
12.The Minister said the current FCT Administration has done what no other Administration has done for the Directors and called on them to give their full support in order to achieve the mandate of the President.
13.According to the Minister, “I worry that Mr. President cannot be doing this and some of us are sabotaging the efforts of the Administration. If what you have been looking for, for years, somebody comes on board to say this thing has been difficult, any obstacle, I’m going to remove it. This thing must be implemented, it requires that you too on your own part must do everything necessary for the person to succeed and it takes commitment, it takes hard work.
14.“We are doing the best we can to change the face of the city. You too have to help us. I feel that I should let you know this so that you won’t say you were not warned. We are fully aware and you know, anything that I want to do, let heaven come down, I will do it”.
15.The FCT Minister also disclosed that he will carry out a reshuffle of the Directorship cadre in the FCT Administration to encourage efficiency and service delivery. He said he would rejig the system with the transfer of several Directors, adding that he would not allow any Director to remain permanently in one office.
16.“People are commending us for what we are doing, but we have to move faster. So, I felt I should let you know so that you won’t say you were taken unaware”, the Minister said.
17.Barrister Wike while also noting that the withdrawal of the FCT from the Treasury Single Account has enabled the FCT Administration to carry out so much infrastructure development, said the Administration will roll out the achievements of President Bola Tinubu by May this year.
18.Speaking on the challenges confronting the citizenry in the country, the Minister sued for patience, saying that the changes that Nigerians yearn for cannot be achieved overnight.
19.He said, “Everybody should be patient. The policies embarked upon by Mr. President may be very tough, but that’s what we require now in order to survive. Things were really very bad. To make things to change will not be a miracle. Tough decisions will be taken. And when tough decisions are taken, you know Nigerians we don’t like to be patient. We want it today; something that has been spoilt for over 20 years, we want it corrected in seven, or eight months. It doesn’t come that way. But at the end of the day, what are we doing to get it right? Yes, we are going to get it right”.
20.Also at the meeting were the Hon. Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, the Executive Secretary of the FCDA Engr. Shehu Hadi Ahmed and the Acting Permanent Secretary, FCTA, Mr Samuel Atang.
PHOTO) Femi Adeniyi
