Joint unions in the Federal Road Maintenance Agency have kicked against the announcement by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, referring to some members of the agency’s board as executive board members.
The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria and the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees made their position known in a letter addressed to Akpabio on Friday and made available to newsmen in Abuja.
The PUNCH reports that Akpabio had on Wednesday announced the constitution of a new board for FERMA, but referred to some of the members as executive board members, as opposed to the usual members of the board.
The letter, jointly signed by ASCSN Chairman, Paul Onimisi, and AUPCTRE Chairman, Abdulmumin Idris, described the announcement by the senate president as discouraging and demoralising to the staff members of the agency.
“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 the employees of the agency.
The unions said, “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.”
The unions’ executives said the direct consequence of making some members of the board executive members to head departments was to derail the agency because workers would not support it.
The union leaders emphasised that the particular adverse result of the contraption of making some board members executive board members was the creation of a board within a board.
They added that such would drive the agency in contra-direction in terms of its mandate.
“The agency and its members of staff are peacefully working towards the achievement of its mandate in their service to the nation.
“An urgent clarion call is hereby made for the immediate reversal of this illegality to forestall looming anarchy this contraption may cause,” the unions stated in the letter aimed at drawing President Bola Tinubu’s attention to the anomaly.