Citizens Awareness Against Corruption and Social Vices Initiative (CAACASVI), an anti-corruption civil society organisation (CSO), has raised alarm over what it described as ‘unlawful’ demands of the board members of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA).
The CSO, in a petition addressed to President Bola Tinubu, drew the attention of Mr President to the demand of FERMA board members for “unlawful privileges,” which include special office accommodation, personal assistants, and secretaries, among others, all to be funded by the agency.
A copy of the petition made available to newsmen on Thursday in Abuja stated that FERMA board members l interference in the day-to-day running of the agency and conferring undue and unlawful privileges on themselves require President Tinubu’s immediate intervention.
The petition, signed by CAACASVI’s Executive Director, Mr Olumuyiwa Onlede, explains that the attention of the CSO was drawn to the unlawful designation of office of the board members and the illegal conversion of the same to executive board members.
The executive director pointed out that, like other agencies of the Federal Government, FERMA was established with rules and regulations and defined the functions and responsibilities of management staff appointed by the president. He wondered why the board members of the agency are demanding what is not obtainable in other agencies.
Onlede frowns at the happenings within the agency where the governing board members decided to go outside their function and rights to demand office accommodation, personal assistants, and secretariat 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 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,” the CSO stated.
According to CAACASVI, “if those presiding over agencies of government, both at the executive and board levels, put the interests of the country above their personal interests,”
The CSO stated that it would continue to monitor the conduct of the board members with patriotic zeal.
It insisted that it would also monitor the implementation of their prayers, and if dissatisfied, it would explore every legal option to press home its demands.
Recalled that the Joint Unions of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) and the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) had in a protest letter queried Senate President Godwill Akpabio for referring to some members of the FERMA board as executive members.
The letter, jointly signed by Mr Paul Onimisi, ASCSN Chairman, and Mr Abdulmumin Idris, AUPCTRE Chairman, conspicuously said, “The appointment of some members as executive board members to eventually take over the running of the departments is contrary to the 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 counterproductive 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.
“An urgent clarion call is hereby made for the immediate reversal of this illegality to forestall the looming anarchy this contraption may cause,” the unions stated in the letter aimed at drawing Tinubu’s attention to the anomaly.”