By Stanley Onyekwere
Hundreds of workers under the aegis of Joint Unions Action Committee ( JUAC) in the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) yesterday protested the deployment of a Permanent Secretary (PS) for the FCTA, by the Office of Head of Service of the Federation (OHSF), thereby reigniting their over two decades battle against such practice, that deprived them of getting to the peak of their career.
Also, the aggrieved workers also demanded for the full implementation of the FCT Civil Service Commission (CSC) Law, 2018, which according to them provided for the appointment of PS from the FCTA.
JUAC President, Mr. Matilukuro Korede, who spoke on behalf of the over 40,000 FCTA/FCDA workers in Abuja, described the OHSF as an aberration of the FCT CSC Law.
The OHSF had announced President Bola Tinubu’s approval for posting of 24 permanent secretaries in Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies, according to a circular that emanated from the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF)
In the document, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, was redeployed from the Transportation Ministry to the FCTA to replace the current PS, Mr Olusade Adesola, who would retire on January 29.
Meanwhile, recall that the FCT Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike had in October 2023, announced President Tinubu’s approval for the establishment of CSC for the FCT, thereby signalling move towards its full implementation.
The Minister had explained that the development would allow career progression for civil servants in the FCT Administration to become permanent secretaries, who before now could only get to the position of a director.
Korede noted that by this development, the Head of Service of the Federation, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan, did not have power to appoint a Permanent Secretary for the FCT.
He explained that the directors could not get to the peak of their careers because there was no CSC for FCT.
JUAC president, therefore, described the action of the Head of Service as faulty, and called for the full implementation of the FCT CSC Law.
He said: “On Thursday, we heard that the head of service has announced that she has gotten approval from President Tinubu to deploy another Permanent Secretary to FCT.
“We felt aggrieved because it is an aberration. As we speak now, the FCT CSC Law has been gazetted since 2018.”
He disclosed that since 2004, the staff of FCTA had been deprived of becoming permanent secretaries, adding that the law to make it possible was signed in 2018 but implementation became a problem.
While reiterating that Wike took the issue and within a month, secured President Tinubu’s approval for the implementation of the law, JUAC President said: “But to our surprise, the Head of Service decided to include a name for appointment as permanent secretary for the FCT.
“As far as FCT is concerned, the permanent secretary should be appointed among the qualified directors in the FCTA and not from outside.
“This will provide an opportunity for the staff of FCTA to get to the peak of their career by becoming a permanent secretary.
“Our demand, therefore, is that the appointment of a permanent secretary outside the FCTA is an aberration and an anomaly that should be corrected.
“We are waiting for the implementation of the FCT Civil Service Commission.”
Furthermore, he insisted that if the Head of Service insists on appointing a permanent secretary from outside the FCTA, then she has to wait for the law to be amended and be given the power to do so.
“But between now and then, the law must be obeyed and what we know is that FCT CSC has come to stay,” he stressed.
Korede equally announced to the protesting workers that Wike had reached out to the leadership of JUAC and asked them to be calm, as he has taken steps to reach out to Presidency.
According to him, the minister had promised to meet with President Tinubu over the issue and would get back to them.
He, therefore, asked the workers to shield their sword and return to work, while awaiting feedback from the minister, which would determine the next line of action.
PeoplesDaily reports that overtime, there have looming industrial war over the non-implementation of the FCT Civil Service Commission Act, as the FCT workers have been resilient in demanding for the implementation of Executive Order 1 of 2004, which abolished the Ministry of the Federal Capital Territory, long before the signing of Act which has given FCT workers to advance in the Service like their counterparts in the states.
They insist that the FCT Civil Service Commission Act can’t remain in the shelves, while the administration continues to deny workers the benefits accruing from it.
According to them, without the implementation of the Act, FCT workers will continually remain under administrative limitations that won’t allow them to grow at par with workers at the states.
