The anti-corruption group said the FERMA governing board members, spurred on by the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, decided to go outside their function to demand “office accommodation, personal assistants and secretariat staff in FERMA offices.”
An anti-graft civic organisation, the Citizens Awareness Against Corruption and Social Vices Initiative (CAACASVI), has petitioned President Bola Tinubu over the governing board of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) whose members were allegedly making demand for unlawful privileges.
The anti-corruption group said the FERMA governing board members, spurred on by the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, decided to go outside their function to demand “office accommodation, personal assistants and secretariat staff in FERMA offices.”
The petition which was made available to newsmen on Thursday in Abuja accused the FERMA board members of interference in the day-to-day running of the agency by conferring undue and unlawful privileges on themselves.
Signed by CAACASVI’s Executive Director, Mr Olumuyiwa Onlede, the CSO said that the attention of the organisation was drawn to the anomalies going on in the agency.
The executive director 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.
Onlede added that civil societies, as well as Nigerians frowned 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 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,” the CSO prayed.
It insisted that interfering in the day-to-day running of the agency by the board could cause industrial disharmony within the agency.
It would be recalled that the Senate had last year come under heavy criticisms for swearing in the board and referring to them as Executive Board members.
The Joint unions in FERMA had kicked against the announcement by Godswill Akpabio, the President of the Senate.
The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) and Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) had made their position known in a letter addressed to Akpabio.
The letter, jointly signed by Mr 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.
"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," the unions had maintained.