Workers protest, demand sacking of NEPAD ‘illegal’ boss
There was commotion on Tuesday at the Nigeria headquarters of the New
Partnership for Africa’s Development as workers protested against the
alleged illegal reappointment of a Special Assistant to former President
Goodluck Jonathan as NEPAD’s new Coordinator/Chief Executive.
The peaceful protest at the agency degenerated into fisticuffs as a few staff, loyal to the former President Goodluck Jonathan’s aide, Mrs. Fidelia Njeze, tried to stop a larger number of the employees from going outside the premises of the organisation to demonstrate their agitation.
Our correspondent gathered that the special adviser, who’s tenure of office should end with the tenure of Jonathan, called some directors of the agency last Thursday to announce her new portfolio as coordinator.
Explaining what warranted their protest, an official of the agency, who spoke to our correspondent in confidence, said Njeze claimed that she was appointed Coordinator of NEPAD by the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Pius Anyim.
The official said, “It is only the President of Nigeria that has the right to appoint his special adviser on NEPAD. But in this case, we saw a different title when the entire organisation structure has not been changed. If you want to have a coordinator/chief executive, then you must have the structure changed.
“But as it is now, the organisation’s structure is still the same and it is not even a parastatal but a department under the Office of the SGF. So we, NEPAD staff, are saying that if you want to become a chief executive, there should be enabling laws that will make it happen. You cannot change your own appointment overnight when there is a change in government.
“What we are saying categorically is that President Muhammadu Buhari should appoint a special assistant on NEPAD. There is nothing like coordinator and chief executive. This organisation is not a statutory agency and there is no tenured appointment. Assistants are appointed by the President and as a special assistant, once your boss is leaving, you leave with him.”
When asked to state who issued a re-appointment letter to Njeze, another official involved in the protest, said, “The person that gave the letter to her (Njeze) was the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Pius Anyim, and not the present President.”
As the workers mobilised and boarded a bus, a senior management member of the agency immediately rushed out of his office, stood in front of the vehicle and asked the driver to run over him.
The official, who some protesting staff booed and described as an aide to Njeze, urged the angry workers to exercise patience until the embattled special assistant appoints someone to act in her stead.
While he refused to speak to the press, the protesters gave his name as Sunday Adebumi.
He shouted aloud while trying to placate the protesters, stressing that “she (Njeze) said tomorrow (Wednesday) she is going to appoint somebody who will act for her.”
The Chief Press Secretary, NEPAD, Mrs. Janet Dickson, refused to comment on the issue when contacted.
The peaceful protest at the agency degenerated into fisticuffs as a few staff, loyal to the former President Goodluck Jonathan’s aide, Mrs. Fidelia Njeze, tried to stop a larger number of the employees from going outside the premises of the organisation to demonstrate their agitation.
Our correspondent gathered that the special adviser, who’s tenure of office should end with the tenure of Jonathan, called some directors of the agency last Thursday to announce her new portfolio as coordinator.
Explaining what warranted their protest, an official of the agency, who spoke to our correspondent in confidence, said Njeze claimed that she was appointed Coordinator of NEPAD by the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Pius Anyim.
The official said, “It is only the President of Nigeria that has the right to appoint his special adviser on NEPAD. But in this case, we saw a different title when the entire organisation structure has not been changed. If you want to have a coordinator/chief executive, then you must have the structure changed.
“But as it is now, the organisation’s structure is still the same and it is not even a parastatal but a department under the Office of the SGF. So we, NEPAD staff, are saying that if you want to become a chief executive, there should be enabling laws that will make it happen. You cannot change your own appointment overnight when there is a change in government.
“What we are saying categorically is that President Muhammadu Buhari should appoint a special assistant on NEPAD. There is nothing like coordinator and chief executive. This organisation is not a statutory agency and there is no tenured appointment. Assistants are appointed by the President and as a special assistant, once your boss is leaving, you leave with him.”
When asked to state who issued a re-appointment letter to Njeze, another official involved in the protest, said, “The person that gave the letter to her (Njeze) was the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Pius Anyim, and not the present President.”
As the workers mobilised and boarded a bus, a senior management member of the agency immediately rushed out of his office, stood in front of the vehicle and asked the driver to run over him.
The official, who some protesting staff booed and described as an aide to Njeze, urged the angry workers to exercise patience until the embattled special assistant appoints someone to act in her stead.
While he refused to speak to the press, the protesters gave his name as Sunday Adebumi.
He shouted aloud while trying to placate the protesters, stressing that “she (Njeze) said tomorrow (Wednesday) she is going to appoint somebody who will act for her.”
The Chief Press Secretary, NEPAD, Mrs. Janet Dickson, refused to comment on the issue when contacted.
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