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From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
Staffers of the Imo/River Basin Development Authority( AIRBDA) have strongly kicked against the reappointment of their Managing Director, Gerald Osuagwu, insisting that he must follow due process before staging a comeback to the establishment.
Osuagwu’s tenure had elapsed on June,2 but he claimed to have been reappointment by the office of the Secretary to Government of the Federation on May, 28 to run another 4 years tenure.
But the Allied and Agricultural Employees Union of Nigeria (AAEUN) and the AIRBDA unions have insisted that Osuagwu hand over to the most senior Executive Director while waiting for the authenticity of his appointment letter.
Meanwhile, his office has been placed under lock and key pending clarification of his reappointment.
The staff of the authority protested inside the premises on Monday supporting the decision of the AIRBDA AAEUN.
A source who does not want his name mentioned said that the MD has not been in a good working relationship with his staff before his tenure elapsed.
The executives of the two unions had already submitted a letter to the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, demanding the authenticity of the present letter flaunted by the MD which purportedly indicated his reappointment.
A copy of the letter read to the staff by the State chairman of the Nigeria Union of Agriculture and Allied Employees(NUAAE), Ibe-Enwo Oko, stated that the manner Osuagwu got his reappointment through the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation(SGF) and not through the supervising ministry fall short of due process.
It alleged that the reappointment letter he is parading had an issuance date of May,28 contrary to the expiration date of his tenure.
The letter addressed to the Ministry of Water Resources also reads thus “That instead of doing so, the MD refused to appear in the office throughout the working day of June,2 but instead travelled to the office of the SGF to collect a letter of reappointment”.
Briefing by the union head has calmed the tension and protest feared might have attracted the host community to take advantage and vandalise the properties of the establishment.
However, when contacted, Osuagwu denied the allegations and insisted that his appointment was duly followed.
He said “It is categorically not true that I sought re-appointment from the office of the SGF. It is the supervising Ministry that makes recommendations.
“Consequently, my Minister then Engr. Suleiman H. Adamu recommended me to the former President Mohammadu Buhari for the renewal of my appointment based on my performance through the office of the SGF as required to take effect from 3rd June 2023 and the President graciously approved.
“The letter for the renewal of my appointment signed by the then SGF was dated 28th May 2023 which is not a problem. The letter clearly states that the appointment is with effect from 3rd June 2023 since the previous appointment lapsed on 2nd of June 2023. This also is quite in order,” Osuagwu said.
