A pressure group, New Nigerian Initiative (NNI) has urged President Bola Tinubu to call the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi to order over alleged abuse of office and reckless use of power.
In a statement by the coordinator of the Kaduna based pressure group, NNI, Adamu Bello, the group alleged the minister of deliberately chose “to elevate junior workers on matters relating to the day to day activities of the ministry”.
According to Adamu Bello in the statement, “such workers were allegedly being prodded up far and above some directors which is against the rules and regulations of the civil service”.
“For posterity sake, we in the New Nigeria Initiative feel concerned that nepotism, high handedness, abuse and usurpation of power cannot help the government of the day. We were inundated with complaints from some concerned workers of the ministry who felt an injustice to one, is an injustice to all and therefore cried out that such an aberration must not go unchallenged,” it said
The group added, “The Minister as an ex-Governor ought to stick to the rules and procedures of the Civil Service by maintaining orderliness, decency and transparency in matters affecting running of affairs of the ministry. Downgrading a Director for a junior worker to carry out the roles expected of such Director is an aberration and sheer use of naked power to subjugate a top civil servant who weathered the storm and rose through the ranks to get to his present status.
“Quite sadly too, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, according to our findings is watching helplessly as the minister seeks to desecrate the civil service and sunk it deeper into abyss. The Permanent Secretary as the Accounting Officer of the ministry ought to be seen to protect his people and ensure the right thing is done always”.
The group stressed “But unfortunately the reverse is the case here. He should be reminded that if his rights had been trampled upon over the years, he might not get to the coveted position he holds presently and posterity will judge him rightly or wrongly.To this end, we are calling on President Bola Tinubu to call his minister to order and restore confidence in the civil service”.
“The Head of Service of the Federation should also rein in, on the junior workers who were being unduly and illegally elevated to usurp the powers of their bosses”