FCTA Directors welcome FCT Civil Service Commission establishment, TSA exit

By Stanley Onyekwere

Some serving and retired directors of the FCT Administration have commended President Bola Tinubu and FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike for the establishment of FCT Civil Service Commission, Women Affairs Secretariat and exit of the FCT Administration from the controversial Treasury Single Account (TSA).

They expressed delight and gratitude to the duo for his courage, foresight and political will to effect this far-reaching financial and structural reforms, which would definitely take the FCT to an enviable level of development.

Making this assertion under the aegis of League of Serving and Retired FCTA Directors, through its Chairman, Mr. Lukeman Eramosele, they added their voices to the gale of commendations that have continued trailing the President’s decision, following Wike’s request just two month’s into his appoint as FCT Minister.

Recall that Minister had last Friday during a press conference disclosed that President Bola Tinubu has approved creation of the much awaited FCT Civil Service Commission, exit of the FCTA from the Federal Government’s Treasury Single Account (TSA), and establishment of and Women Affairs Secretariat dedicated to handling women issues in the FCT.

Eramosele, who spoke to a section of the media at the weekend, lauded Mr. President and FCT Minister for “recording the landmark administrative reforms to reposition the FCTA bureaucracy for unprecedented physical and human development.”

Lauding establishment of the Commission, the staff said unlike some of the retirees who left the service without the opportunity of progressing beyond a director in the service, his serving colleagues, and those to come after them, were blessed with the opportunity of becoming even head of civil service of the federation.

According to them, “The President and the FCT Minister have done very well by seeing the imperative and taking the bull by the horn in making the FCT Civil Service Commission operational within a record period of barely two months.

“Even though, some of us missed out because certain people in power could not muster the boldness and courage to establish this Commission for us, I am indeed very delighted for those my colleagues who are still in the service, including those who will enter the service later.

“With Wike, the things we prayed and fasted for for years without results are happening with ease in record tims of his exemplary leadership.

“Staff no more have reasons to complain but give their utmost best because their career progression limit has been extended and their future is now assured, no more stagnation and delayed promotions.”

However, appealing to the Minister to look further into issues surrounding staff welfare, including the staff Cooperatives, they revealed that more than 87 percent of the FCTA staff live outside the FCT and should be properly accommodated, as well as given access to land, which is their only resource.

“There is no doubt that this will, in no small measures, boost staff confidence, ensure satisfaction, improve staff welfare, thus resulting into high productivity, all for the benefit of FCT residents and all Nigerians.

“I am sure some of you do not understand the import of what Mr. President and the honourable Minister have done, but as things unfold, impact of this highly commendable decision will be felt far and wide”, they stated.

Speaking on the exit from TSA, they noted that it would make available funds from its huge Internally Generated Revenue which would be ploughed back into infrastructural development and service provision, making the era of abandoned projects in Abuja a thing of the past.

They therefore called on residents and all staff of FCTA Administration to give the President, the Minister and his team the maximum support to implement their laudable policies and programmes to better their lives and other Nigerians.