The Nation Newspaper

Tag: appointments

  • CBN appointments divide Senate

    CBN appointments divide Senate

    The Senate was yesterday divided on the confirmation of the appointment of four non-executive members of the Board of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    The division was based on geo-political zone consideration and representation.

    Although those pencilled for confirmation including Muhammad Musa Kafarati (Northeast), Collons Chike Chikeluba (Southeast), Adaba Anthony Adeiza (Northcentral) and Ayuli Jemide (Southsouth) were confirmed, senators insisted that the federal character principle as enshrined in the constitution should be complied with in all appointments.

    Senator Ganiyu Solomon (Lagos West) noted that since the Southwest was not represented on the list of those nominated for appointment, the remaining slot should be reserved for the zone in the interest of equity and fair play.

    But Senator Mohammed Goje (Gombe Central) reminded him that the Accountant-General of the Federation and the Permanent Secretary are members of the board.

    He said the Northeast zone was always forgotten in terms of appointment.

    Goje added that Kafarati appointed from the Northeast is qualified for the position, having served meritoriously in sensitive positions in the past.

    Senator Olufemi Lanlehin (Oyo South) said the Accountant-General and the Permanent Secretary are members of the board due to the positions they hold.

    He submitted that it would be wrong to say that they represent the Southwest in the board since they were not appointed as non-executive members of the board.

    Senate Minority Leader George Akume said qualified people should be appointed to sensitive positions, such as the board of the CBN.

    He noted that in a country populated by professionals, efforts should be made to appoint the best.

    Senator Smart Adeyemi (Kogi West), after observing the trend of the debate, said the way out was for the Senate to amend the CBN Act to accommodate all geo-political zones in appointments.

    He noted that senators struggle to ensure that their geo-political zones are represented in appointment because of favouritism and nepotism, which characterise appointments.

    Adeyemi said everyone knows that those in authority recruit only persons from their areas.

    Senate President David Mark described the debate as “healthy”, adding that senators should speak because they recognise that the day of reckoning would come.

    He said the Senate should ensure that every zone is represented in appointments.

    He noted that there would be no end to the debate.

    The same sentiments occurred in the confirmation of the secretary and members of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Messrs Michael Ebong, Uwasomba Udochukwu, Emmanuel Ibitolu and Dr. Ismaila Mohammed Dukku were confirmed as members of the EFCC, while Emmanuel Adegboyega Aremo was confirmed as member/secretary of the commission.

    Mark congratulated the appointees and urged them to live up to expectation when they resume duty.

    He told them not to disappoint the committees that screened them, the Senate and Nigerians.

  • North alleges ‘lopsidedness’ in aviation appointments

    To correct the perceived lopsidedness in apointments into key aviation positions, a group the Northern Youth Coalition for Democracy has called on the Presidency and the National Assembly to examine the recruitment criteria.

    The call, the group’s National Co-ordinator, Abdulyakeen Ibn Umar claimed, followed the perceived ‘lopsidedness’ in the appointment of some personnel in some aviation agencies.

    Umar said there might be need for the government to examine recent appointments in some of the agencies, to know if the criteria used did not meet the federal character.

    He called on the Federal Government to look into the appointment of chiefs of some key aviation agencies.

    Umar said the North was marginalised in the appointments into aviation parastatals, adding that such lopsided appointments would not move the nation forward.

    He said: “Aviation needs professionals and we have those professionals in the North and I don’t know why this government wants to relegate the North in the aviation sector. In some parastatals in the aviation sector, there is nothing like a northerner in the management team. I feel it is in justice.”

    Umar said it would be unfair for the Jonathan administration to move the North out of the sector.

    He said: ‘’The bone of contention is the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). If they are talking of professionals, it should be thrown open for people to apply. There is nothing like federal character here. You must balance it so that there will be no agitation.”

    In a swift reaction the Minister of Aviation denied the allegation, saying there is no basis for such claim.

    The Minister’s Special Assistant on Media Joe Obi said there was nothing like ethnic cleansing in the sector.

    The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria ( FAAN) is headed by Mr George Uriesi, who is from Edo State, in the Southsouth.

    The Managing Director of the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Mazi Nnamdi Udoh, from Abia State, in the Southeast.

    Director-General of Nigeria Metereological Services (NIMET ), Dr Anthony Anuforum, hails from the Southeast.

    The Comissioner of Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), Captain Muktar Usman, hails from the North.

    Director-General designation of, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Aviation Authority( NCAA), Captain Fola Akinkuotu, is from the Southwest.

    He is yet to be cleared by the Senate.

    Obi said qualified Nigerians no matter where they come from would be offered jobs in key positions in the industry to add value to the transformation agenda of government.

    The minister, he said, was poised to ensure that professionals from different ethnic background, who will add value to government’s vision would be engaged as key personnel in the industry.

  • Concerns over appointments in agencies

    Concerns over appointments in agencies

    FORMER general manager Administration, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr Bitrus Ogba, has spoken in support of Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Oduah’s appointments into some agencies.

    He said contrary to insinuations, she was not engaged in ethnic cleansing.

    He said it was unfair for professionals to allege that people of certain ethnic groups were marginalised in recent appointments, adding that the minister has been more considerate in upholding the principles of fairness and geo-political spread as opposed to appointments done by some of her predecessors in office.

    Ogba spoke against the background of last week’s public hearing organised by the National Assembly to investigate allegations of lopsidedness in appointments into aviation agencies without recourse to the principle of federal character.

    Ogba said: “When the people of the southwest allege that they were marginalised by the appointment of the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, I get amused. And when I hear that the appointments she made were dominated by people from the southeast, I get bewildered.

    “If you check it, you will discover that Oduah’s appointments were the most balanced in the industry since 1999 because it gave full representation to every part of the country. But I know why the southwest is surprisingly crying marginalisation. In the past they used to dominate every appointment made in the industry. And even now, if you get the list of all the workers in all the aviation parastatals, you will find out that they have the highest number of appointments.

    The President of Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), Comrade Benjamin Okewu, said last week the unions would continue to insist that appointments to aviation agencies should refelect the principles of federal character to checkmate lopsidedness.

    Last year, the National Uinon of Air Transport Employees(NUATE), through, Comrade Adbulkareem Motajo, kicked over the appointment of some general managers into the FAAN, saying their appointment fell short of the stipulated requirements into public service.

    But, the Media Assistant to Oduah, Mr Joe Obi, said the minister approved appointments to enable government to have the right persons to actualise the government’s transformation agenda.