The chairman and board members of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission have refused to vacate office in defiance of President Muhammadu Buhari directive dissolving the boards of all federal agencies, institutions and government owned companies.
Reports reaching Newsdiaryonline indicate the erstwhile Chairman of the board, Chief Richard Egbule in complicity with two other board members, Amb. Madaki Bage and Alhaji Abdulahi Ibrahim are still occupying their post in spite of the presidential directive dissolving all boards effective July 16, 2015.
Instead of vacating their seats as directed by the president, these three men have constituted themselves into a cabal to solicit and lobby high ranking government officials to get an exemption and remain in office, an action which negates the change mantra of the current administration.
In spite of the chairman and members of the board being in possession of the circular by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Danladi Kifasi dated July 16, notifying them of the dissolution of all boards, the trio are bent on illegally perpetuating themselves in office.
Also, Chief Egbule has refused to hand over the affairs of the commission to the permanent secretary of the supervising ministry or government office as directed by a circular issued by Mohammed Bukar dated July 23.
In the said circular, Bukar, who is the permanent secretary (general services office) in the office of the head of service said”l am to particularly draw your attention to paragraph 3 of the circular which directed that until such a time new boards are constituted, the chief executive officers of the parastatals and agencies are to refer matters requiring the attention of their boards to the permanent secretaries of their respective supervising ministries or offices for action.
“Accordingly, you are to refer all matters requiring the attention of the governing board of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission to the permanent secretary (general services office) for consideration.”
The circular was sent to Chief Egbule as chairman of the commission and was attached to main circular issued by the head of service in the wake of the dissolution of all boards by the president.
A source within the commission who spoke on condition of anonymity said “the status of the chairman and other members of the board of the commission in respect to the newly issued circular approving the dissolution of boards of federal government companies, institutions and government owned companies is very clear since they are all political appointees of the last administration”.
