From Okwe Obi, Abuja
A civil society organisation, Citizens Awareness Against Corruption and Social Vices Initiative (CAACASVI), has told the board members of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), to stick to their mandate.
This is even as it has written a petition to President Bola Tinubu against an alleged unlawful demands and interference of members of the board.
Its Executive Director, Olumuyiwa Onlede, in the petition dated February 8, 2024, accused the members of interfering in the day-to-day running of the agency and illegal conversion of the some to executive board members.
Onlede stated that Nigeria is a country governed by rules, laws, and regulations, and FERMA was not an exception.
The petitioner pointed out that the FERMA Act, as passed by the National Assembly, was a legal document that defined the functions of the agency and the responsibilities of management staff appointed by the president.
He argued that it was out of place for the governing board members to demand office accommodation, personal assistants and secretarial staff in FERMA offices.
”We pray that the President should order the board members to familiarise themselves with the relevant laws governing their office and FERMA.
”To refrain from making unlawful requests and seeking privileges outside what is enshrined in the FERMA Establishment Act.
“The President should call the minister to order and direct him to disband every committee set up for the purpose of looking into the demands of the board members as regards to office accommodation.
“That the President directs the Minister of Works, who is the supervising minister of FERMA, to order board members to desist from any act that suggests interference in the day-to-day running of FERMA,” he said.
The Joint unions in FERMA had, last year, protested against the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, for referring to the members as Executive Board members, during the swearing in.
The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) and Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) made their position known in a letter addressed to Akpabio.
The letter, jointly signed by Paul Onimisi, ASCSN Chairman and Mr Abdulmumin Idris, AUPCTRE Chairman, described the announcement by the senate president as discouraging and demoralising to the staff of the agency.
It read: “The appointment of some members as executive board members to eventually take over the running of the departments is contrary to FERMA Act, and detrimental to the career progression of employees of the agency.
“It will not serve the agency any good in achieving its mandate.
“The appointment of some persons as executive board members is contrary to the provisions of Section 2(2) of the FERMA Act as amended and career progression within government agencies.
“It is counter productive and demoralising for career officers as the intention is for the executive board members to take over from career officers who are running departments.
“We urge you respectfully, distinguished Senate President, to confirm the appointment of members of the board in accordance with the Act that created the board.
“To do otherwise is to usher in a chain of events that will disrupt the structure of the Agency, derail its mandate and demoralise the workers.”