Crisis is brewing in the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, following the alleged posting of a new federal permanent secretary, Dr. Magdalene Ajani.…CONTINUE READING
News filtered in on Friday that President Bola Tinubu had approved the redeployment and assignment of portfolios to 24 permanent secretaries including Dr. Magdalene Ajani, who would be moved from the Transportation Ministry, to replace the incumbent at the FCTA, Mr. Olusade Adesola, who is due to retire from service on January 29, 2024.
Many had expected that Adesola would be the last federal permanent secretary to be posted to the FCTA, considering President Tinubu’s approval for the establishment of a Civil Service Commission for the FCT, to allow career progression for civil servants in the FCT Administration.
FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, in October said that the law for the creation of the commission had been signed since 2018 but was not implemented for whatever reasons.
Wike, while explaining that he was not aware of the existence of the law until recently, said, “So, I wrote a memo to Mr President. I say, you have a Renewed Hope agenda; civil servants in FCT are suffering; they have lost hope.
“They are not committed to work. Why should I be working because at the end of the day, I can’t get to the apex of my career? As such, we must implement that 2018 law as passed by the National Assembly.
“If there are challenges, of course there is no law that is perfect. You can only know the challenges when you start implementing.
“I can tell you authoritatively that Mr President has given the approval for the establishment of Civil Service Commission for the FCTA.”
It was expected in many quarters that with the revelation by Wike, the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation will cease to post permanent secretaries to the FCTA as directors can now progress to the level of perm secretary.
It is also hoped that the FCTA will have its own Head of Service from within as is obtained in every state of the federation.
Though there is no official statement from the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation regarding the posting of a permanent secretary to the FCTA, yet, the umbrella body of staff unions in the FCTA, the Joint Union Action Committee, JUAC, is however, threatening mass protest to register their displeasure if there is any such posting.
President of the union, Comrade Matilukuro Korede, in a circular addressed to all staff of the administration and those of the Federal Capital Development Authority, sighted by our correspondent described the new posting as an anomaly that should not be allowed to stand.
The circular reads, “Sequel to the emergency meeting, held on Friday 12th January, 2024, at the JUAC Secretariat, FCTA, where the Joint Union Action Committee, JUAC, has concluded to hold a Press Conference, against the anomalies, as far as the permanent secretary issue is concerned in the FCTA, (i.e the supposed replacement of Adesola, the last PS from the Head of Service to the FCTA, (who is due and scheduled to retired on the 29th January, 2024).
“To this end, I wish to mobilize all staff of the FCTA/FCDA/SDAs to join the umbrella body of the unions at JUAC Secretariat, FCTA on Monday, 15th January, 2024 to speak with one voice against the miss match and the anomalies called (New PS).
“All staff are here by invited to the JUAC Press Conference, this coming Monday to state the position of the union. It’s no longer business as usual.”
