Labour unions censure Akpabio for FERMA board announcements regarding executive board members

The Federal Road Maintenance Agency’s (FERMA) joint unions have denounced the Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s statement designating certain agency board members as executive board members.

In a letter to Akpabio on Thursday, the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) and the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) expressed their positions.

Akpabio announced the formation of a new FERMA board on Wednesday, but instead of referring to the regular board members, he called some of the new members executive board members.

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The letter, which was jointly signed by Mr. Abdulmumin Idris, Chairman of AUPCTRE, and Paul Onimisi, Chairman of ASCSN, branded Akpabio’s declaration as demoralising and disheartening to FERMA staff.

The FERMA Act is broken by the selection of some members as executive board members who would eventually take over departmental management, which also hinders agency employees’ ability to advance in their careers.

It won’t help the agency fulfil its mission in any way.

Certain individuals’ appointment to executive boards violates both government agency career advancement policies and Section 2(2) of the FERMA Act as amended.

“Because the goal is for the executive board members to replace career officers in department leadership, it is counterproductive and demoralising for career officers.

With all due respect, distinguished Senate President, we implore you to verify that the board members were appointed in compliance with the legislation that established the board.

The unions insisted, “To do otherwise is to set in motion a series of events that will disrupt the structure of the Agency, derail its mandate, and demoralise the workers.”

The announcement, according to the union, violated FERMA’s constitution.